Donald Trump’s lawyer isn’t buying District Attorney Fani Willis’ claim that he didn’t refer to the defendants in the Georgia election fraud case during his public “playing the race card” speech.
Willis claimed in court papers Friday — in which she admitted to having an affair with Trump’s chief prosecutor, Nathan Wade — that her Jan. 14 comments about being racially targeted were not directed at Trump, her co-defendants or the case against them.
But on Wednesday Trump’s lawyers responded by claiming the denial was “absurd and dishonest at best, and a lie at worst.”
Willis’ public statements “intentionally and maliciously injected race, religion, and politics into the case and fueled racial animosity,” the Trump team wrote, repeating their earlier argument that they wanted to kick the DA out of prosecution.
Willis first publicly addressed claims he should be disqualified for recruiting and dating Wade by saying: “They only attacked one,” prosecutors in the case said. “The first thing they say is, ‘Oh, he’s going to play the race card now.’
“But no God, aren’t they playing the race card when they only question one?” he said of the fact that he and Wade – who are both black – were the only ones on the prosecution team accused of wrongdoing.
Donald Trump’s lawyer can’t believe that District Attorney Fani Willis didn’t refer to the defendant in his election fraud case during his “pulling the race card” speech. REUTERS Willis’ office on Friday claimed when he made a speech on January 14 alleging he was racially targeted by alleged misconduct he did not refer to Trump, his lawyers, his co-defendants or the criminal case against them. AP
Trump’s co-defendant, Mike Roman, initially dismissed the two over their alleged “clandestine” relationship, alleging Willis hired the allegedly underqualified Wade at an unusually high salary and then reaped benefits from that salary when Wade allegedly treated him to vacations luxury
Wade’s open divorce case was simultaneously dragged into the spotlight when his estranged wife, Joycelyn Wade, argued that he was spending money on Willis while she was unable to support herself. The Wades have since reached a temporary divorce settlement.
Willis’ office on Friday claimed there was nothing illegal about their relationship, that they took turns paying for vacations and that the two had separate finances.
“I’m a little confused. I appointed three special counsels, as is my right to do so,” Willis said during a speech last month. “They only attacked one of them,” he said, without naming the defendant.
Friday Willis admitted to having a relationship with chief prosecutor Nathan Wade – a fact that Trump’s defendants claim should disqualify him from the case. AP
“Some will not see a black man as worthy, no matter his accomplishments.”
After Trump’s lawyers first accused Willis of racial prejudice, his office responded Friday by saying his statement “does not refer to this case or this defendant” and said there was no evidence he was “motivated to treat her. [Trump] different because of race, sex, or any other improper reason.”
But Trump’s team said “who else will the DA repeatedly and often refer to in his use of the words ‘they’ and ‘them’ and ‘themselves’ other than the defendants through insults and condemnations of their defense attorneys,” the filing said. .
Trump’s co-defendant Mike Roman first raised allegations of gross misconduct against Willis last month when he sought to have the criminal charges against him dropped. Fulton County
Trump’s side claimed that the comments, made outside of court, were unethical and grounds for his disqualification and for the case to be thrown against the real estate tycoon.
A hearing is set for Feb. 15 for oral arguments on Roman and Trump’s motions to toss felony racketeering charges against them and to force Willis off the case.
Roman’s side has issued subpoenas for Willis and Wade’s testimony at the trial, but Willis’ office said Friday it would try to get out of public testimony and would ask that the hearing be canceled altogether.
“Our filing persuasively argues that, contrary to the DA’s response, Georgia law allows and compels the DA to disqualify for his extrajudicial prosecutorial comments in violation of his special ethical responsibilities as a prosecutor,” Trump attorney Steve Sadow said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for the DA’s office declined to comment Wednesday.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
