Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis may be forced to testify at a hearing later this week about when her relationship with Trump prosecutor Nathan Wade began, a judge said Monday.
The DA and Wade — whom Willis appointed as special prosecutor in the Georgia election fraud case against the former president and more than a dozen others — are both seeking to opt out of testifying at a court hearing Thursday where Trump co-defendant Mike Roman will try to drop a criminal case against him for alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
But Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said in court Monday he would “delay a decision until we get further into [Thursday] hear for yourself,” as Roman’s attorney Ashleigh Merchant has “established a good faith foundation” for the testimony of both prosecutors and for testimony from other employees in the DA’s office.
Donald Trump himself plans to attend Thursday’s hearing, sources told The Washington Post, which will mark his first appearance in a Georgia court since he was indicted along with 18 others last August.
Although the trial is linked to Roman’s case, Trump’s lawyers also argued for Willis to dismiss his case, saying he has tainted the case by bringing racial issues into it with his public comments since his relationship with Wade came to light.
District Attorney Fani Willis and Trump prosecutor Nathan Wade may be forced to testify at Thursday’s hearing to answer questions about their relationship. Reuters
On Monday McAfee said Merchant could not call Willis as the first witness because “we have to overcome some procedural hurdles before we get there.”
The judge said he also would not hesitate to cut off any questioning by Merchant that would cause “undue embarrassment” to Willis and other witnesses.
The judge said that Merchant’s “star witness” Terrence Bradley – who is Wade’s former law partner and former divorce lawyer – should testify first, as Merchant tries to refute claims that Wade and Willis’ married relationship began after Wade began working. Trump investigation and to deny they ever lived together.
Merchant argued earlier Monday that Bradley would testify that the relationship between Willis and Wade began before he signed his first contract with the DA’s office in November 2021 — a claim the couple denied earlier this month, insisting their relationship did not become romantic until 2022.
Willis and Wade – the latter have been involved in a contentious divorce since 2021 – were forced to come clean about the relationship after Roman filed bombshell papers in January seeking to have the criminal charges against him dropped and Willis disqualified from the case. on the grounds that he allegedly profited from Wade’s lucrative appointment after he paid him to accompany him on vacation.
Willis appointed Wade as special prosecutor in the Georgia election fraud case against the former president. AP
But Wade and Willis said in court papers filed by the DA’s office on Feb. 2 that there was no conflict of interest in them having a romantic relationship.
They claim they don’t live together, don’t share finances and compensate for vacations they spend together.
Anna Cross, an attorney for the DA’s office, argued via video Monday that Willis, Wade or any of the eight other DA employees subpoenaed by Roman to testify should be compelled to testify Thursday.
“They will absolutely not support the wild speculation that is in this motion,” Cross said. “They will deny the allegations.”
Willis and Wade claim they were not romantically involved until after Wade began working on the case. AP
“The defense doesn’t bring you the facts, the defense doesn’t bring you the law, the defense brings you gossip and the courts shouldn’t allow that practice,” Cross said.
As for Willis and Wade, Merchant said the couple had “the most relevant information” on her claims that they started a relationship earlier than they said they did and on her claims that they were actually living together.
And if Wade or Willis deny any of these facts, Merchant said he has plenty of witnesses waiting ahead — including employees in the DA’s office and Willis’ personal security detail — to prove otherwise.
Trump’s co-defense attorney, Mike Roman, claimed the two prosecutors actually began their relationship before Wade joined the investigation. AP Willis and Wade also claim they don’t live together and have separate finances — and Willis personally doesn’t benefit from Wade’s earnings. AP
McAfee indicated that the trial could continue until Friday and said he would seek answers to various questions because of “conflicts in the evidence,” so far.
“The issues here are whether a relationship exists; whether the relationship is romantic or non-romantic; when it is formed; and whether it continues,” McAfee said. “And that is only relevant as it is coupled with the question of the existence and extent of any personal benefit conveyed as a result of the relationship.”
The hearing will begin at an Atlanta courthouse at 9:30 a.m. and will be streamed live on YouTube.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
