Fani Willis takes stand in hearing that could disqualify her from Trump election case

[Carlile]

ATLANTA (AP) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis took the
witness stand Thursday to testify about her romantic relationship with a
special prosecutor she hired to lead the 2020 election interference case
against Donald Trump.

I’ve been very anxious to have this conversation with you today,” she told
prosecutors.

The hearing could lead to her removal from the case over what defense
attorneys have described as a conflict of interest because of her
relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

While on the stand, Willis said the prosecution has been lying about her
relationship with Wade.

It is highly offensive when someone lies on you,” Willis said."
Robin Yeartie, a former co-worker of Willis, testified earlier Thursday
that Willis’ relationship with Wade began before he was hired as special
prosecutor in November 2021. Wade testified that they didn’t start dating
until 2022, and that their relationship ended last summer.

During personal and uncomfortable testimony that spanned hours, Wade
admitted to having sex with Willis during his separation from his
estranged wife.

Yeartie's testimony threatens to undermine the prosecutors’ credibility
and upend the case against Trump and others who are charged with
conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.

Trump and his co-defendants have argued that the relationship presents a
conflict of interest that should force Willis off the case. Wade sought to
downplay the matter, casting himself and Willis as “private people.”

There is nothing secret or salacious about having a private life,” he
said. “Nothing.”

Wade said the relationship ended last summer, but that he remains good
friends with Willis. He added that they were “probably closer than ever
because of these attacks.”

But the hours of probing questions for Wade underscored the extent to
which the prosecutors who pledged to hold Trump accountable are themselves
now under a public microscope, with revelations about their personal lives
diverting attention away from Trump’s own conduct and threatening to
derail one of the four prosecutions he confronts as he vies to reclaim the
White House.

If Willis were disqualified, a council that supports prosecuting attorneys
in Georgia would find a new attorney to take over who could either proceed
with the charges against Trump and 14 others or drop the case altogether.

Merchant alleges that Willis personally profited from the case, paying
Wade more than $650,000 for his work and then benefiting when Wade used
his earnings to pay for vacations the pair took together.

Wade, who took the stand after the judge refused to quash a subpoena for
his testimony, testified that he and Willis traveled together to Belize,
Aruba and California and took cruises together, but said Willis paid him
back in cash for some travel expenses that he had charged to his credit
card.

She was very emphatic and adamant about this independent, strong woman
thing so she demanded that she paid her own way," Wade said.

Wade was pressed by defense attorneys to answer uncomfortable questions
about his relationship with Willis, prompting objections from the district
attorney's office. The hearing began with lengthy sparring between lawyers
over who must answer questions. It is expected to stretch into Friday.

Willis’ removal would be a stunning development in the most sprawling of
the four criminal cases against Trump. Even if a new lawyer went forward
with the case, it would very likely not go to trial before November, when
Trump is expected to be the Republican nominee for president. At a
separate hearing in New York on Thursday, a judge ruled that Trump’s hush-
money criminal case will go ahead as scheduled with jury selection
starting on March 25.

In a court filing earlier this month, Willis' office insisted that she has
no financial or personal conflict of interest and that there are no
grounds to dismiss the case or to remove her from the prosecution. Her
filing called the allegations “salacious” and said they were designed to
generate headlines. Wade said in an affidavit filed in court that their
relationship began after he was hired and that they have never lived
together.

Since the allegations of an inappropriate relationship surfaced, Trump has
used them to try to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Willis’ case against
him. Other Republicans have cited them in calling for investigations into
Willis, a Democrat who’s up for reelection this year.

Roman’s lawyer, Merchant, subpoenaed Willis, Wade, seven other employees
of the district attorney’s office and others, including Wade’s former
business partner, Terrence Bradley. Bradley took the witness stand earlier
Thursday but refused to answer questions from Merchant, citing attorney-
client privilege.

McAfee said during a hearing Monday that Willis could be disqualified "if
evidence is produced demonstrating an actual conflict or the appearance of
one.”

He said the issues he wants to explore at the hearing are “whether a
relationship existed, whether that relationship was romantic or
nonromantic in nature, when it formed and whether it continues.” Those
questions are only relevant, he said, “in combination with the question of
the existence and extent of any personal benefit conveyed as a result of
the relationship.”

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