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The lead prosecutor in the extensive case of election interference against Donald Trump in Georgia has given testimony in court regarding accusations of wrongdoing made by the former president and his co-defendants. These allegations could potentially result in their disqualification from the case.
Fani Willis, the District Attorney of Fulton County, took the stand in an Atlanta court on Thursday following defense lawyers’ inquiries about her connection with lead prosecutor Nathan Wade and the joint costs they incurred.
The lawyers had acknowledged their connection but strongly denied the “unfounded” and scandalous accusations as deliberate efforts to have her removed from a case that President Trump has falsely labeled as a plot against him, as stated in legal documents.
The hearing on Thursday is examining accusations that the ex-couple profited financially when Ms Willis hired Mr Wade to handle the former president’s case. The case accuses Mr Trump and several others of being involved in a “criminal enterprise” to overturn the state’s election results in 2020.
Ms Willis expressed her eagerness to have a conversation with defence attorney Ashleigh Merchant, stating that it was absurd for the attorney to have lied on Monday. Despite her surprise that the hearing continued, she was present for it.
In the early 1990s, Robin Yeartie was a friend of Ms Willis during their college years. According to Yeartie’s previous testimony, Ms Willis and Mr Wade were involved in a romantic relationship starting in 2019. When asked about this during her own testimony, Ms Willis vehemently refuted these accusations and found the claim that she slept with Mr Wade after meeting him to be highly offensive.
“That statement is false,” she stated to Ms. Merchant, who was serving as the criminal defense lawyer for Mike Roman, a co-defendant with Trump. “That is just another one of your falsehoods,” she countered.
On Friday, she will be questioned by her team while on the witness stand. The attorneys are expected to bring in four to five other witnesses and the next round of questioning is estimated to take four to five hours.
“I will not make a decision on any of this tomorrow,” stated Judge Scott McAfee of Fulton County Superior Court as the hearing concluded on Thursday night. “This matter will be carefully considered in all aspects.”
On February 15, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis gave testimony regarding accusations concerning her connection with another prosecutor.
According to Mr. Wade’s sworn statement in the lawsuit, he and Ms. Willis formed a personal bond in addition to their professional connection and friendship in 2022, a few months after he was brought on to the case.
He declared that he does not have any financial stake in the case, that he has not shared any funds from his employment with Ms Willis, and that they have never shared any financial accounts, expenses, or housing.
Ms. Willis stated that the couple started their relationship in either March or April of 2022 and ended it in the summer of 2023.
Ms Merchant was accused of consistently misrepresenting the testimony and continuously stating false information about the person’s personal life in her inquiries to Ms Willis and in legal documents.
She stated, “You seem to be misunderstanding. I am not the one being accused. These individuals are being accused of attempting to manipulate the 2020 election.” She clarified, “I am not the one on trial, regardless of your efforts to make it seem so.”
Ms. Willis initially resisted attempts by the previous president’s lawyers and other defense attorneys to force her to testify. However, she changed her mind on Thursday and informed the court that she hurriedly made her way down the hall after finding out that Mr. Wade had finished giving his testimony.
As she entered the room, she could be heard saying, “I am prepared to leave.”
The information she provided adds to a crucial investigation, which Ms. Willis and others have described as an attempt to disrupt her legal case and divert attention from Mr. Trump’s proceedings. This could potentially result in her being removed from the case entirely.
If Judge McAfee decides that she is eligible for disqualification, her team would be eliminated and new prosecutors would be selected, which could potentially prolong the trial that has tentatively been set to start in August. This process may take several months.
Lawyers representing Mr. Trump and his co-defendants asked a series of questions that delved into Ms. Willis’s private life, such as her sexual activities and financial management. She was eager to address any accusations made against her, provide a timeline of her relationship with Mr. Trump, and explain how she handled payments for their shared expenses.
She detailed four journeys in the years 2022 and 2023, which included visits to Miami, a cruise to Aruba, a cruise to the Bahamas, a trip to Belize, and a trip to Napa Valley, California. She stated that she paid for her portion of these trips in cash, except for the trip to Belize which was a gift for Mr. Wade’s 50th birthday. The expenses were divided evenly among all participants.
“I would like to clarify, as my credibility is being doubted…I do not believe our relationship became romantic until early 2022,” stated Ms. Willis.
In 2023, they terminated a physically close relationship, according to their statements. Ms. Willis explained that they had a difficult discussion last August, prior to Mr. Trump’s indictment in Georgia.
She recalled his words, “A woman’s only worth is in making me a sandwich.” They often argued about equality and their relationship was always tense. She stated that she doesn’t rely on a man for anything and sees them as companions, not plans.
Source: independent.co.uk
