Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has accused the estranged wife of a prosecutor she hired and had a romantic relationship with for trying to obstruct an election interference case against former President Donald Trump, according to multiple reports. is accusing.
Willis' attorneys said in a filing Thursday that attorneys for the prosecutor's wife, Nathan Wade, served a subpoena on the district attorney last week requesting her interrogation as part of the couple's divorce proceedings. according to To the Associated Press.
Willis' attorney, Cinque Axum, argued in a filing that the subpoenas were sought “for the purpose of harassing and damaging” her professional reputation, and that his wife, Joycelyn Wade, is involved in an election interference case. He accused them of colluding with “interested parties.” Frustrate, embarrass, oppress” Willis.
Last week, Ashley Merchant, a former Trump aide and attorney for Michael Roman, revealed that Willis and Wade (the person the district attorney hired to build the case against Trump) were romantically involved and that Willis was a lawyer for Michael Roman. filed a complaint alleging that the company had been paying exorbitant salaries to For his work on the case he used to vacation himself and Willis.
To date, Willis has not denied the allegations of an affair with Wade, instead suggesting that racism played a role.
Special Counsel Nathan Wade speaks during a motion hearing in former President Donald Trump's election interference case at the Louis R. Slaton Courthouse on January 12, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Ilya Nouverge Pool/Getty)
According to the filing, Willis appears to accuse Wade's wife of wanting to intervene in the case against Trump, but also claims that he doesn't have to answer questions about the divorce process because the couple has been separated for two years. are doing. And he is seeking an “uncontested, no-fault divorce.”
Axum is seeking to have the subpoena rescinded, writing that the attempted questioning of Willis is an “obstruction and obstruction” of the case against Trump, according to the Associated Press.
Law professor Jonathan Turley said Mr Willis' accusations against Mr Wade's wife “only exacerbated concerns about his professional separation from Mr Wade”.
“Accusing the estranged wife of an alleged lover as a political conspirator is just as persuasive as accusing people who express ethical concerns of being vicious racists. Yes,” he said. I have written In the column.
Willis is increasingly concerned about his professional separation from Wade.Accusing his alleged lover's estranged wife of being a political conspirator is just as persuasive as accusing people who express ethical concerns of being vicious racists. There is https://t.co/MZyZU4QY7r
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) January 19, 2024
Joycelyn Wade's attorney, Andrea Hastings, served the subpoena on Willis on the same day Roman's attorney, Ashley Merchant, filed a complaint alleging infidelity. Mr. Merchant said the alleged inappropriate relationship between Mr. Willis and Mr. Wade created a conflict of interest because Mr. Willis personally profited from the case by employing Mr. Wade and taking him on vacation. said. Merchant wants the charges against Roman to be dropped and Willis and Wade removed from the case.
The seller emailed the AP: Willis alleges that her deposition is being sought for the purpose of harassing and damaging her professional reputation. Why would her truthful testimony risk damaging her reputation? ” Merchant also dismissed Willis’ claims of collusion with “her stakeholders,” writing to The Associated Press that she filed the allegations during the pretrial motions deadline for her election case. Ta.
“We believe her application to Cobb County is simply an attempt to avoid having to directly answer the important questions raised by Mr. Roman,” Merchant wrote to The Associated Press.
Merchant also questioned Willis' hiring of Wade, given his lack of experience with the type of criminal charges Willis is pursuing. The seller wrote:
The investigation revealed that the special prosecutor had never tried a felony. [racketeer infiltrated and corrupt organizations] case. There are several attorneys in Georgia and the city of Atlanta who specialize in prosecuting and defending RICO cases. With access to these resources, why would a district attorney, especially in a case of national importance like this one, appoint someone who has never tried a RICO felony case in his place?
The special prosecutor's lack of experience with these types of felonies does not qualify him, by Fulton County standards, to represent the defendant in this case, given the complexity of the charges. If the special prosecutor is not qualified to defend this case under Fulton County standards, how is he qualified to prosecute the case? That is why the district attorney did not seek approval for his appointment. Is that the reason? If so, why did she seek to appoint an unqualified lawyer to lead this prosecution without authorization?
On Thursday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who is overseeing the case, set a Feb. 15 hearing date for Merchant's claims against Willis and ordered Willis to file a response by Feb. 2. Ta.
Roman was indicted by a grand jury in August on charges that he, along with Trump and 17 others, participated in a plot to overturn Georgia's 2020 presidential election. Mr. Roman, Mr. Trump and 11 others have pleaded not guilty. Roman was the Trump campaign's election day operations manager in Georgia.
