Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her alleged lover and lead prosecutor in Trump’s Georgia election fraud case have been subpoenaed to testify at a court hearing later this month, according to a report.
Attorneys for Donald Trump’s co-defendant Michael Roman are seeking to have criminal charges against their client thrown out over an alleged “clandestine” affair between Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade — claims that will be finalized at a February 15 hearing where Willis and Wade have been subpoenaed for testified, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Roman’s attorney Ashleigh Merchant filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the DA’s office, alleging it has been skittish when it comes to turning over information attorneys requested through the Open Records act to prepare for a trial in two weeks.
“It’s frustrating to have to file a lawsuit to get access to records that the public is entitled to,” Merchant told the AJC Wednesday. “We believe that transparency is essential to open and accountable government and we hope this can be resolved quickly so we can get the public documents we are entitled to.”
The DA’s office on Friday told Merchant the suit was “disingenuous” because it had complied with its request for the information.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Trump’s lead election fraud prosecutor Nathan Wade have been subpoenaed to testify later this month. Reuters
It explained that some of the records sought by the Trader were still compiled for him, some the office did not have and others had been handed over to him.
Dealer disclosed in the suit that he is seeking the testimony of Willis and Wade — though it is unclear whether the two will try to recuse themselves from publicly testifying.
Separately on Tuesday, the nonprofit watchdog group Judicial Watch filed a subpoena for all records related to Wade’s hiring, with the group’s president claiming Willis may have “something to hide,” Law & Crime reported.
The suit claims the group has been granted leave in its public records request since January 11 for all information related to Wade’s appointment from January 1, 2021 to January 11, 2024.
“Fani Willis’ politicized and unprecedented prosecution of former President Trump has been further compromised by credible allegations of personal corruption linked to the hiring of Nathan Wade as special prosecutor!” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said on X Tuesday. “The Judicial Watch had to file a suit to try to get records on this scandal further showing that there is something to hide.”
Willis was accused of having a “clandestine” affair with Wade. AP
The group received an email on Jan. 18 informing it to check its account because a letter had been posted there in response to a records request, when in fact there was no letter there, the filing claims.
That same day, the group emailed the Fulton County Records Center and later called and left voicemails with the agency, but so far, no one has responded, the suit alleges.
All along, “Plaintiffs have a clear legal right to the requested records and Defendants have a duty to provide them,” claims the suit against Fulton County, first reported by Law & Crime.
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Allegations of an affair between Willis and Wade first surfaced last month, when Roman sought to drop criminal charges against him on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct.
The scandal dragged Wade’s ongoing divorce into the spotlight as well, because he filed to end the marriage the day after he stepped into the role of special prosecutor and because he was technically still married when the alleged affair took place.
The infidelity allegations surfaced last month in the case of Trump’s co-defendant, Michael Roman, as he sought to have charges against him thrown out on conflict-of-interest grounds. Fulton County
In fact, Wade’s estranged wife, Joycelyn Wade, is trying to force Willis to answer questions under oath in the divorce case — as she claims her husband spent her money treating Willis on vacations to California and Miami while leaving her with little to live on.
But the couple reached a temporary settlement on Tuesday ahead of a court hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning, where more details about the alleged relationship may have emerged.
A hearing is set in Roman’s criminal case later this month for Willis’ office to answer questions about alleged misconduct and conflicts of interest.
And the DA is being investigated by the audit committee of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners over potential “misuse” of taxpayer money.
A representative with the DA’s office did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
