Georgia’s governor described allegations of misconduct by the District Attorney who prosecuted Trump’s election meddling case in the state as “deeply troubling,” to The Post on Friday.
Gov. Brian Kemp’s spokesman also said Fulton County DA Fani Willis could face an investigation by a special commission over her alleged “inappropriate” relationship with Nathan Wade, whom he appointed as special prosecutor in the case.
“This allegation is very troubling and evidence must be presented quickly so that it can be found [presiding] Judge McAfee to rule and the public has confidence in this trial moving forward,” the governor’s office said in a statement to The Post.
The co-prosecutors were first accused of having “clandestine” ties in a motion filed Monday by Michael Roman, one of 18 co-defendants of Donald Trump in the Willis Racketeering and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) investigation.
Fani Willis has yet to publicly comment on the allegations. AP
Roman’s attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, accused Willis and Wade of having “violated laws governing the use of public money, suffered irremediable conflicts of interest, and violated their oaths of office under the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct and should be disqualified from prosecuting the matter this. thing.”
Court filings allege Wade paid for luxury vacations with Willis to Florida, Napa Valley and the Caribbean, using legal fees paid by the Fulton County DA’s Office. The allegation has not been proven.
Kemp last year signed a new bill for a statewide Prosecuting Attorney Qualification Commission (PAQC) with the power to investigate complaints against District Attorneys and remove them if they have sufficient cause. The law outlines a series of offenses for which a prosecutor can be removed, including “misconduct in office”.
Willis (centre) and Wade (right) are accused of misconduct for having an “inappropriate” relationship. Getty Images
“Georgians need to have confidence in this hearing and the Georgia General Assembly has put in place a specific process to investigate matters like this,” the governor’s office wrote in a statement to The Post.
“The PAQC has the power to investigate allegations of misconduct by district attorneys and state solicitors and discipline, dismiss or cause the voluntary retirement of those who qualify for removal.”
Kemp’s spokeswoman told The Post Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene “has every right” to refer the matter to the commission because she filed a criminal complaint against Willis earlier this week.
In a complaint filed Wednesday, Greene (R-Ga.) called for an investigation of the Fulton County district attorney over her alleged “secret boyfriend” Nathan Wade, the prosecutor representing her office in the former president’s case.
However, the commissioner’s term will not officially begin until July 2024, and only then will it be ready to receive complaints.
Willis was largely out of the public eye on Friday. Wade appeared briefly in court, but said his work would be handled by a colleague.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has been urged to launch a criminal investigation into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Wilis over allegations she had an “inappropriate” relationship with Wade. AP
Harvey Silverglate, a criminal and civil liberties attorney who represented former Trump lawyer John Eastman in the RICO matter, said his clients and co-defendants no longer felt confident they were being prosecuted by someone with no “ax to grind.”
“It was very difficult when he [Willis] had an intimate relationship with the person responsible for hearing the case,” he told The Post.
He also described Wade’s original appointment as special prosecutor as a surprise given his lack of experience.
“This is a very difficult case to try and the fact that this is someone who has no experience is very puzzling,” he said.
According to Silverglate, the ideal outcome for his client would be for the state Attorney General to appoint a special prosecutor to take over the case.
Donald Trump Giuliani, and 17 others pleaded not guilty in August to all charges in a sweeping blackmail indictment for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia.POOL/AFP via Getty Images
“The independence and independent judgment of the district attorney is questioned. And of course, that also affects public confidence because it is important not only that justice is done but that people see that justice is done,” he added.
“So it throws a big monkey wrench in this whole thing.”
In arguing to have the case dismissed earlier this week, lawyers for Roman made several accusations about Willis and Wade.
His legal team wrote in the motion that Willis had failed to properly obtain approval from the Fulton County Commission before hiring Wade as special prosecutor.
But Pete Skandalakis, a Republican who heads the Georgia Council of Prosecuting Attorneys, said the state’s District Attorney does not need to get the county commission’s approval before making such a hire, The New York Times reported.
Roman’s attorney also claimed Willis had a conflict of interest that violated his oath of office. Additionally, they accused both Willis and Wade of violating the district’s “Code of Laws” and “Rules of Professional Conduct Regarding Conflicts of Interest.”
Meanwhile, Willis — who sources told The Post has been working with Wade since at least 2019 — adored him and described him as a “personal mentor” and “meaningful person” in an unearthed interview with South Atlanta Magazine from January 2021.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
