The personal relationship that ended between Willis and Nathan Wade in the summer of 2023 has brought them under scrutiny. This relationship raises questions about their involvement in the racketeering case against former President Donald Trump, where Wade was hired by Willis in 2021. The case revolves around allegations against Trump and eighteen other defendants, suggesting a plot to undermine Georgia’s election victory for Joe Biden in 2020. The scrutiny stems from concerns about the potential impact of their personal history on the handling of this politically significant legal matter.
The former president, a leading candidate for the GOP nomination in the 2024 election, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and contends that the case is politically motivated.
In early January, Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign staffer and co-defendant, filed claims asserting a personal relationship between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and prosecutor Nathan Wade. Roman sought to disqualify Willis and her team and have his charges dropped, entering a not-guilty plea in the process.
To address the disqualification request, Chief Judge Scott McAfee conducted a series of hearings last week. During the proceedings, Willis was questioned about whether Wade had visited her home. In a heated moment, Willis vehemently denied the allegation, holding up court documents and declaring, “So let’s be clear ’cause you lied in this. It is a lie! It is a lie!”
Legal commentator Jonathan Turley, who testified during impeachment proceedings for both Bill Clinton in 1998 and Donald Trump in 2019, commented on the situation on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We are still awaiting a response from Willis, so this is only one side. However, it could put Willis’s combative testimony into sharp relief as she declared ‘It’s a lie. It’s a lie’ on the stand.”
In a supplemental brief filed on Friday, Trump’s attorneys requested that McAfee consider new evidence, including an affidavit from a private investigator who examined Nathan Wade’s cellphone location data. The investigator’s findings indicated that Wade had visited Willis’ house twice in 2021—once in September and once in November—arriving late at night and leaving early in the morning.
The ongoing legal developments add further complexity to the case, as the defense challenges the credibility of the prosecution team and seeks to introduce evidence of a personal relationship that may impact the proceedings.
According to statements from Fani Willis and prosecutor Nathan Wade, their romantic involvement began in the spring of 2022 when Willis hired Wade.
Legal commentator Jonathan Turley raised concerns about potential dishonesty in their testimony, suggesting that if the court believes Willis and Wade lied on the stand, it could lead to a referral for possible prosecution by another office or consideration of a referral to the bar. Turley expressed unease about the insistence of Willis and Wade to remain involved in the case, emphasizing the growing appearance of impropriety and conflicts of interest.
In a follow-up post, Turley noted, “There is clearly a growing appearance of impropriety and possible conflicts of interest. It is clear that their continuation in the matter is undermining not just the integrity of the case but that of their office.” He highlighted that despite praise for Willis’s combative testimony, it raised concerns about personal motivations and interests in hiring Nathan Wade.
Turley further recommended that Willis and Wade step aside from Trump’s Georgia case, emphasizing that their problems are escalating. He pointed out that the prosecutors have seemingly prioritized their personal interests over the case and the office, allowing these interests to overshadow the public interest in the matter.
As the situation unfolds, it remains uncertain whether the new filing from the Trump team will impact Chief Judge Scott McAfee’s pending ruling or potentially delay the proceedings. The ongoing allegations of false filings and perjury add to the complexities surrounding the case and the individuals involved.
