Fulton County in trouble District Attorney Fani Willis He has until the end of Friday to respond to allegations of an “inappropriate” relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor he hired to handle former President Trump’s case.
According to court documents filed earlier this month by Trump’s co-defendant, Michael Roman, who filed election interference-related lawsuits against Willis. accusations against trumpcontinues to have an “inappropriate” relationship with Wade, whom he hired to help prosecute the top 2024 Republican candidate. Roman and his lawyers argue that her alleged misconduct should disqualify her from her case.
According to court documents, Mr. Wade, who had no RICO or felony prosecution experience, had billed taxpayers $650,000 at a rate of $250 an hour since his hire.
Willis and Wade have both been subpoenaed by Roman’s attorney, Ashley Merchant, asking them to testify at a Feb. 15 evidentiary hearing before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who is presiding over the Trump case. It was done.
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Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney who sued former President Trump for election interference, has been under fire from various quarters. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
According to Roman’s filing, Wade billed Fulton County for a 24-hour work day in November 2021, shortly after being appointed special prosecutor, and Willis paid the bill with his alleged lover’s tax dollars. They claim that they took lavish vacations together and benefited financially from the inflated salaries they received. Travel together to Napa Valley, Florida, and the Caribbean on your own income.
Merchant filed a separate lawsuit Tuesday against the Fulton County Attorney’s Office for failing to turn over records pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Act, alleging that Willis and her team apparently “deliberately concealed information” in advance of the hearing. “I withheld it,” he said.
Merchant claims that after certain requests were closed early, she had to repeatedly submit them and was incorrectly told that certain records did not exist, the complaint states.
On Friday morning, the House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Willis in connection with the misuse of federal funds and for allegedly firing a whistleblower in his office over the same matter.
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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade. Wade reached a temporary divorce settlement with his estranged wife. (Getty Images)
The subpoena requires Willis to “turn over all documents and communications that refer to or relate to the receipt and use of federal funds by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, including Federal funding may include, but is not limited to, from the Department of Justice’s Office of Delinquency Prevention and Community-Based Policing Services. ”
In addition, she is being asked by the same office to submit all documents “mentioning or relating to the alleged misuse of federal funds.”
“These false allegations are part of a baseless lawsuit filed by retained employees from the previous administration who were fired for cause,” Willis’ office said in a statement in response to Friday’s subpoena. Announced.
“If you look at the record of our grant program, you will see that it is very effective and is implemented in collaboration with the Department of Justice and meeting all of the Department’s requirements. Our Federal Grants “The Gold program focuses on supporting at-risk youth and assisting job seekers. Delivering justice to victims of sexual assault who have been ignored for far too long,” she said. ‘s office said.
“Our federally funded sexual assault kit initiative has been cited as a model program by the U.S. Attorney General. We are proud of our partnership with the Department of Justice,” the statement said.
Mr. Willis was scheduled to testify this week in the divorce case between Mr. Wade and his estranged wife, but unfortunately he avoided testifying. The day before that hearing was scheduled, the judge in the case announced that Nathan and Jocelyn Wade had reached a tentative agreement and halted divorce proceedings Wednesday.
Willis spoke for the first time about the allegations at Atlanta’s Big Bethel AME Church on January 14, appearing to hint that she believed the allegations were racially based.
“They only attacked one person,” she said. “At first they say, ‘Oh, she’s going to run now.’
“But God is different, aren’t they the ones who are cutting the race card with just one question?” Willis asked.
“We can’t expect black women to be perfect and save the world,” Willis said, adding, “We need to be allowed to stumble. We need grace.”
Georgia’s House and Senate passed two bills giving separate committees the power to investigate Willis’ office.
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“We can’t expect Black women to be perfect and save the world,” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said, adding, “We need to be allowed to stumble. We need grace. ” he added. (AP Photo/Bryn Anderson, File)
last week, Republicans control Georgia The Senate voted to create a special committee with subpoena power to investigate Willis. Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal, who introduced the measure, said, “The numerous allegations against Mr. Willis, ranging from allegations of prosecutorial misconduct to questions about the use of public funds to accusations of extra-professional relationships, “This underscores the urgency of a thorough investigation.” and fair examination. ”
Georgia House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that would restore the Prosecutorial Qualifications Commission, which has the power to discipline and remove prosecutors, a move Republicans could use to target Willis.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Bill signed last year It created the commission last year, but the commission couldn’t begin operating after the state Supreme Court refused to approve rules governing the commission’s actions. The new bill, which passed the House and now heads to the Senate, would remove the Supreme Court confirmation requirement.
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John Malcolm, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Atlanta, said in an interview on Fox News Digital that the charges against Willis are “serious.”
“They should be investigated, and this case certainly jeopardized this prosecution and stained not only Fulton County, but potentially the entire state. That’s why the Georgia Legislature decided to “I can understand why they are armed,” he said.
Mr Malcolm, who is now director of the Meath Center for Law and Justice Research, said “this is a difficult time” for Mr Willis and that Mr Willis may ultimately decide to withdraw from the case. Ta.
A trial date has not yet been set in the massive extortion case against the former president, and it is unclear whether new prosecutors will pursue some or all of the charges against Trump if Willis and his team are fired or removed from office. isn’t it.
