Fani Willis, the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, allegedly inappropriately hired a romantic partner to handle her case against former President Donald Trump, according to a court motion filed Monday.
The court filing alleges that Nathan Wade, a private lawyer who has played a key role as a special attorney in the racketeering case against Trump and his associates pursuant to the 2020 election, used money that his firm received from Fulton County to cover the costs of ritzy trips with Willis, according to its text. By law, the district attorney signs off on payments to special prosecutors, meaning that Willis allegedly signed off on funds that were later used to pay for vacations with Wade, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Fulton County has paid Wade approximately $654,000 in fees since January 2022, according to county records reviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The motion was filed by representatives of Michael Roman, a former official for the Trump campaign named in the indictment.
Trump SLAMS Georgia DA Fani Willis for ignoring violent crime – murder – and being obsessed with nailing Trump. – Vows to Make Atlanta Great Again in Truth Social Post
TRUMP: “She’s like many others in her position — They let the criminals go and they wanna get Trump.” pic.twitter.com/uMlTYsJTEV
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 31, 2023
The motion requests that charges against Roman be dropped, and the disqualification of Wade, Willis and her entire office from continuing to prosecute the case, according to its text. It is unclear if the allegations outlined in the filing will undermine the case against Trump and his co-defendants in any concrete fashion.
Willis intends to address the allegations “through appropriate court filings,” a spokesperson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Notably, the filing does not provide hard evidence of the behavior alleged, such as incontrovertible evidence that Willis and Wade are romantically involved or travel tickets. It does allege, however, that “sources close to both the special prosecutor and the district attorney have confirmed they had an ongoing, personal relationship.”
The motion “is not filed lightly. Nor is it being filed without considerable forethought, research or investigation,” Roman’s attorney Ashleigh Merchant wrote in the document. The alleged actions of Willis and Wade may amount to fraudulent activity that could possibly be prosecuted under federal racketeering law if sufficiently substantiated, according to the motion’s text.
Willis and Wade are alleged to have traveled together to destinations like Florida Napa Valley, California, according to the motion’s text. The pair “have been engaged in an improper, clandestine personal relationship during the pendency of this case, which has resulted in the special prosecutor, and, in turn, the district attorney, profiting significantly from this prosecution at the expense of the taxpayers,” the motion alleges.
“I AM SO PROUD TO BE SHOWING THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA HOW CORRUPT CROOKED JOE BIDEN, AND OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social regarding the allegations contained in the motion. “ALL CHARGES AGAINST ME, AND OTHERS, SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY DROPPED, WITH APOLOGIES, AND MONETARY DAMAGES FOR THE ILLEGAL AND HIGHLY POLITICAL PERSECUTION OF INNOCENT PEOPLE. IN GOD WE TRUST!”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include a statement from former President Donald Trump.
Nick Pope on January 8, 2024
