Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has admitted her “personal relationship” with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, a lawyer she enlisted to investigate former President Donald Trump.
She also insisted she did not benefit financially from hiring him and should not be disqualified from the sprawling Georgia case alleging that Mr. Trump and his allies tried to improperly influence the state’s presidential vote in 2020.
Ms. Willis, in a lengthy filing Friday to an Atlanta-based court, said “any personal relationship” among the prosecution team did not harm Mr. Trump or his co-defendants or give her direct financial benefit. She lashed out at “malicious” claims about her and Mr. Wade, who is going through a divorce.
“This is not an example of zealous advocacy, nor is it a good faith effort to develop a record on a disputed legal issue. It is a ticket to the circus,” Ms. Willis wrote.
It was the most direct acknowledgment yet of her involvement with Mr. Wade — a relationship that shocked observers and is complicating her ability to prosecute Mr. Trump and 18 co-defendants on racketeering charges related to the 2020 vote.
A judge required Ms. Willis to respond to a bombshell motion that alleged Ms. Willis had an affair with Mr. Wade even as he received taxpayer money for his work in the Trump case.
The motion by Michael Roman, who was indicted alongside Mr. Trump, said Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade took lavish trips. He supported his claims with airline ticket records showing he paid for their travel together.
Mr. Roman argues Ms. Willis personally benefited from the prosecution of Mr. Trump and his allies.
Mr. Trump and others want to disqualify Ms. Willis from the case — one of four Mr. Trump faces related to his term in office — and invalidate the indictment.
The former president took glee in Ms. Willis’ admission.
“By going after the most high level person, and the Republican Nominee, she was able to get her ’lover’ much more money, almost a Million Dollars, than she would be able to get for the prosecution of any other person or individual. THAT MEANS THAT THIS SCAM IS TOTALLY DISCREDITED & OVER!” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Ms. Willis said payment for personal travel was divided roughly evenly between the two, with all expenses paid for with their own funds.
She also argued Georgia courts have long held that personal relationships between lawyers, even on opposing sides of litigation, are not a conflict of interest.
Ms. Roman’s lawyers, she said, are trying to “garner more breathless media coverage, and intrude even further into the personal lives of the prosecution team in an effort to embarrass and harass the District Attorney personally.”
Analysts say the matter is more unlikely to sideline Mr. Wade than derail the case completely.
“That might be one of the resolutions, to replace him,” said Charles Bullock, a politics professor at the University of Georgia.
Still, the episode already has resulted in political consequences, including a U.S. House investigation into the matter. The Georgia legislature is pursuing legislation to scrutinize district attorneys, an effort widely viewed as a way to target Ms. Willis.
Ms. Willis, who is up for reelection this year, has been subpoenaed to testify at a Feb. 15 court hearing on the matter.
The House Judiciary Committee on Friday also subpoenaed Ms. Willis on a separate matter, ordering her to appear before Congress over allegations she misused federal funds for “swag” — travel and new computers — and then fired a whistleblower who tried to stop her.
Ms. Willis began investigating Mr. Trump three years ago based on his efforts to pressure Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to dig up enough votes to overturn President Biden’s narrow electoral victory. A grand jury last year indicted Mr. Trump and his associates.
The former president faces 13 counts, including a violation of Georgia racketeering laws, solicitation of a violation of an oath by a public officer and several counts related to conspiracies to commit forgery or make false statements.
The 18 co-defendants face an assortment of charges — there are 41 counts in all — that at times overlap with those against Mr. Trump.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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