Fani Willis, a longtime friend of embattled Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis, on Thursday dated back to 2019 to “hug” and “hug” with Donald Trump’s lead prosecutor Nathan Wade. He testified that he witnessed them kissing. That was three years before lawyers claim their relationship became intimate.
Robin Yearty said there was “no question” the district attorney had a relationship with Wade before Willis appointed him to target the former president in an election fraud case in November 2021. ” he testified via Zoom.
Mr Ierty told the packed courtroom that he had seen the then-married lawyer and Mr Willis “hugging” and “kissing” multiple times.
This testimony directly contradicts previous claims by Wade and Willis that they did not begin their affair until 2022, long after Wade was appointed special counsel.
Mr. Yearty said he met Mr. Willis in college and became friends in 1991. They stopped communicating in 2021 after she resigned from her position as DA’s media representative in 2021.
Fulton County Attorney Anna Cross also suggested that Mr. Yearty had an ax to grind against his former boss, forcing him to admit on stage that he would have been fired had he not resigned.
Lawyers for Mr. Trump and his co-defendant in the case, former White House official Mike Roman, argued that Mr. Willis’ relationship with Mr. Wade constituted a conflict of interest and should be removed from the case.
A fiery Willis took the witness stand late Thursday and claimed he was itching to get his side across.
Willis before accusing Ashley Merchant, a criminal defense attorney for one of Trump’s co-defendants, of lying earlier this week when she insisted that Willis and Wade be forced to testify. “I’m calm in the office,” he said.
“You lied on Monday, and yet we’re still here,” Willis told Merchant. “I’m actually surprised the hearing continued, considering how dishonest you were with the court on Monday. But I’ve been here ever since it happened.”
Willis later said she found it “deeply disturbing” that Merchant had hinted at an October 2019 press conference that she had slept with Wade.
“I want to be here so bad,” she said. “I’m not a hostile witness.”
Her testimony is scheduled to continue until the court adjourns on Thursday.
Some observers have criticized Mr. Wade’s high-profile There are doubts about his suitability to prosecute.
He took the stand early Thursday and told the court that he did not become intimate with Mr. Willis until after Mr. Willis selected him to lead the case against Mr. Trump.
Wade said they haven’t slept together since last summer.
His attorney said he was battling cancer in 2020 and 2021 and was not dating anyone, including Willis, at the time.
The hearing is scheduled to continue on Friday.
