The judge supervising the Fulton County trial of former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants has ordered District Attorney Fani Willis to answer to charges that she has a romantic relationship with one of the primary prosecutors and has broken ethics standards.
Judge Scott McAfee ordered Willis to provide a written response by February 2. He stated that he would hold a hearing on the charges on February 15.
Mike Roman, a former Trump campaign official and one of the defendants in the case, made the shocking charges against Willis in court papers filed last week by his attorney, Ashleigh Merchant. Merchant stated that Willis has an inappropriate relationship with Nathan Wade, an outside lawyer whom Willis engaged on a contract basis as a “special prosecutor” to assist with the case.
Merchant stated, without proof, that Willis and Wade went on costly vacations paid for by Wade’s salary from his work on the case. Merchant contended that the relationship breaches conflict-of-interest guidelines and should disqualify Willis and her team from the prosecution.
Wade does not appear to have prosecuted difficult matters prior to entering the Trump investigation. Wade’s biography on his legal firm’s website highlights his experience in personal injury, family law, contract disputes, and other civil concerns.
Willis’ office stated that it would react to the charges through legal papers. McAfee asked Willis to do exactly that in an order issued on Thursday.
Willis recently supported Wade’s qualities during a church service honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. She did not respond to the claims of misconduct.
Wade filed for divorce from his wife of more than 20 years in November 2021, just one day after entering the district attorney’s office. That divorce proceeding has now been linked to the Trump case, as Wade’s wife, Joycelyn Wade, recently subpoenaed Willis to testify in the divorce proceedings.
Wade’s divorce proceedings are sealed. On January 31, two days before McAfee’s new deadline, a hearing will be held to decide whether to unseal the divorce case. Merchant has filed a motion to unseal the case, and earlier this week, a consortium of media outlets came in to support the initiative.
Willis requested to quash the subpoena for her Jan. 23 deposition, stating that she had no relevant material to provide in a divorce action in which both parties believe the marriage has been “irretrievably broken” since 2021.
Willis described the subpoena as an attempt to “embarrass” and “harass” her, claiming it was planned with Roman. She pointed out that the subpoena for her testimony coincided with Roman’s allegations of an inappropriate relationship between Willis and Wade. She claimed that the only possible relevant material she would have for Wade’s divorce — facts regarding his remuneration as her employee — had already been disclosed.
“Joycelyn Wade has not identified any other relevant basis for questioning or seeking discovery from District Attorney Willis,” Willis’ attorney Cinque Axam stated.
Willis’ declaration did not address Roman’s assertions that she and Nathan Wade have a personal relationship.
Merchant, Roman’s attorney, responded to Willis’ allegation of coordination.
“As she did in Fulton County, Willis attempts to create a conspiracy where none exists,” Merchant went on to say. “We filed Mr. Roman’s motion on the due date, January 8th. We believe her Cobb County filing is merely another attempt to avoid directly answering the key points posed by Mr. Roman.