Hearing set on Georgia DA misconduct allegations
ATLANTA — The judge presiding over the Georgia prosecution of former President Donald Trump and others for efforts to overturn the 2020 election has set a hearing on a motion alleging Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been romantically involved with a special prosecutor she hired for the case.
In an order Thursday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott Mcafee set a Feb. 15 hearing and ordered prosecutors to file their response by Feb. 2. The allegations have been seized upon by Trump and other critics of the prosecution, who have argued that the case is tainted and should be tossed out.
Defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents former Trump campaign staffer and onetime White House aide Michael Roman, made the allegations in a motion filed last week. She alleged that Willis was involved in a romantic relationship with attorney Nathan Wade that created a conflict of interest and led to Willis profiting personally from the prosecution. The motion seeks to have the indictment thrown out and to have Willis and Wade removed from the case.
Willis defended her hiring of Wade and his qualifications during an address at a church in Atlanta on Sunday but has not commented publicly on the allegation of a romantic relationship. Among other things, she cited Wade’s 10 years of experience as a municipal court judge and 20 years in private practice.
Willis’ office has said they will respond to Merchant’s motion in a court filing but have not provided a timeline for that.
Merchant has not provided any solid proof to support the alleged inappropriate relationship. She mentioned “information obtained outside of court filings” and “sources close” to Willis and Wade.