Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will likely continue to be affected by her failure to prosecute President-elect Donald Trump, the lawyer behind the original disqualification motion told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“I would be shocked if she wasn't investigated by the new Justice Department,” Ashley Merchant, who represented Trump co-defendant Mike Roman in the Willis extortion case, told DCNF.
In January, Merchant claimed that Willis had profited financially from the wrongful appointment of her boyfriend, Nathan Wade, as special counsel, and that Wade had been put on leave using funds he earned from the position. The complaint was filed on the basis that the company had bribed the government. Judge Scott McAfee found in March that the relationship created “an appearance of gross fraud” but allowed Willis to stay in the case if Wade stepped aside.
The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that Willis should be disbarred from the case against Trump.
“It feels like Christmas came early,” Merchant told DCNF.
“We had to fight for a hearing. We had to fight for subpoenas. We had to fight for evidence. Call witnesses. I had to fight for it,” Merchant said.
“I mean, they fought every step we took.” (Related: Exclusive: Fani Willis Falsely Claims She Paid Her Alleged Lover the Same Fee as Other Lawyers in Trump Case)
ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 15: Attorney Fani Willis speaks from the witness stand during the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump hearing at the Fulton County Courthouse on February 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Alyssa Pointer Pool/Getty Images)
Days after Mr. Merchant filed his motion for disqualification, Mr. Willis stood in front of a church and falsely claimed that all special prosecutors were paid the same hourly rate and that the attack was racially based. suggested that. She initially paid Wade more than other attorneys, including Georgia's top extortion expert, according to contracts obtained by DCNF.
Although Wade paid for her plane tickets and other expenses related to the couple's vacation, Willis did not disclose any gifts from Wade in her 2022 financial disclosure, DCNF reported. Ta. The two claimed they split the costs roughly evenly, with Willis repaying them in cash.
Willis' truthfulness was called into question when he took the stand during an evidentiary hearing in February, with McAfee writing that there was “reasonable doubt” about whether Willis and Wade were honest about the timing of their relationship. There is. (Related: Jack Smith could face 'significant consequences' in year-long legal campaign against Trump)
Merchant said Willis continues to create “additional liability” by acting as if he is above the law.
In September, Willis defied a subpoena from the state Senate Investigations Committee. she refused to follow along with a request for documents from the House Judiciary Committee.
Despite the trial order In a public records lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch, she remains We're screwed Turn over documents relating to communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6th Committee.
“She's trying to create the idea that she's a constitutional officer and doesn't have to follow legal rules,” Merchant said.
“And that doesn't work.”
All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or our partnership, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
