One of Trump's co-defendants has accused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis of having an improper relationship with a top attorney she hired for the case.
The Georgia prosecutor leading an election-subversion case against Donald Trump is facing misconduct allegations, including claims of an improper relationship with a top attorney she hired. The judge overseeing the case, Scott McAfee, is considering whether to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis based on evidence supporting the accusations.
Fani Willis, the first female district attorney in Fulton County, charged Trump and 18 co-defendants with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Trump faces 13 felony charges, including allegations of pressuring Georgia officials and involvement in a scheme to use false electoral officials to certify victory for him.
One of Trump's co-defendants, Michael Roman, filed a motion earlier this year to dismiss his charges and remove Willis from the case. He alleges that Willis personally benefited from a relationship with one of her lead prosecutors, Nathan Wade, claiming they took luxury holidays together and that Willis overpaid Wade for his role.
Willis has admitted to a "personal relationship" with Wade but denied that it affected the election case. She and Wade have stated that their relationship began in 2022, after Wade was appointed special counsel in the Trump proceedings, and that they split travel expenses equally.
The misconduct allegations against Willis have become entangled in the high-profile case, with the first witness, Terrence Bradley, denying in court that he had exchanged messages with Roman's lawyer about Willis and Wade's relationship. The judge has set aside additional time to focus on when their relationship began, whether it is ongoing, and whether there was any financial conflict of interest.
Experts believe that while Willis and Wade's relationship was unwise, it is unlikely to significantly impact the case's outcome. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani stated that, at most, Willis could be disqualified, with prosecutors from other offices taking over. He emphasized that these allegations do not affect the merits of the Trump prosecution, characterizing the situation as more of a public relations issue than a legal one.
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