Fulton County DA disqualification hearing
The judge in the Trump election interference case will decide whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified from the case for her ties to special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
Fulton County, Ga. , A Fulton County judge ruled an evidentiary hearing to determine whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and others will be disqualified from the Georgia election interference case will proceed to Feb. 15.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said, “I think it’s clear that disqualification can occur when evidence of an actual conflict or its presence is presented.”
Trump’s co-defendant files motion to dismiss indictment, disqualify Fani Willis
One of former President Trump’s co-defendants, Michael Roman, filed a motion in early January seeking to disqualify Willis and his office because of the alleged romantic relationship between Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
McAfee said, “This alleges a personal relationship that resulted in personal benefit to the district attorney and is no longer a matter of speculation.” “The State has accepted that a relationship existed. Therefore what remains to be proven is the existence and extent of any financial gain.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 21: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis appears before Judge Scott McAfee for a hearing in the 2020 Georgia election interference case at the Fulton County Courthouse on November 21, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. judge
Defense attorney Ashley Merchant, who is representing Roman, argued in court, “We certainly have contradictions in the evidence as to when this relationship began.” “We’ve got the dates. We’ve got to know whether they lived together or not. We’ve got to know whether or not there were any funds paid to him that he used to travel with Ms. Willis.”
Roman’s defense attorney has called DA Willis, Wade and several other employees of the DA’s office to testify during Thursday’s evidentiary hearing and says their testimony, as well as that of Wade’s business partner and friend Terrence Bradley The testimony that is about to testify will vindicate Willis. And Wade lied about their relationship.
Judge McAfee said during Monday’s hearing that he would postpone a decision on whether to honor or rescind the subpoenas for the DA and other witnesses until after Bradley’s testimony.
One thing the judge made clear was that he would not waste time on Wade’s competency during Thursday’s hearing. McAfee said the district attorney can hire any lawyer with a “heartbeat and a bar card.”
The hearing is expected to last for 2 days.
Fanny Willis, Nathan Wade: Romantic Relationship History
Initially, Willis and Wade remained silent about their relationship, but it was eventually revealed in a written response ordered by Judge McAfee ahead of the upcoming hearing.
Timeline: Fulton County DA Fani Willis, Nathan Wade controversy
Last week, Willis filed a motion to quash the subpoena compelling him and his staff to testify on February 15. He dismissed Roman’s attempt to disqualify him and Wade as a “malicious” attempt to remove him from the case due to lack of evidence. Willis also denied allegations that Wade was unqualified to serve as a prosecutor in the election case, calling them “factually incorrect, unsupported, and malicious.”
“The defense is not bringing you the facts,” Fulton County Prosecutor Anna Cross told the judge. “The defense is not bringing you the law, the defense is bringing you gossip, and the state cannot do that, and the court should not condone that practice.”
Willis argues that Roman’s motion is an attempt to harass and disrupt the case without any solid basis.
Who did Trump’s co-defendant’s lawyer subpoena?
Roman’s lawyer issued summons for the following persons:
• District Attorney Fani T. Willis
• Acting District Attorney Daesha Young
• Deputy District Attorney Sonya Allen
• Deputy District Attorney Dexter Bond
• Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade
• Assistant Principal Investigator Michael Hill
• Deputy Executive Assistant Tia Green
• Investigation Head Capers Green
• Assistant Principal Investigator Thomas Ricks.
Additionally, Roman’s attorney sought to subpoena the attorney representing Wade in the divorce proceedings and requested personal and business bank records related to Wade and his law practice.
In response, Roman’s attorneys filed a response to Willis’ motion on Friday, alleging that the district attorney has not been “candid” about the relationship. The lawyer claims that one witness, Wade’s former partner Terrence Bradley, will provide insight challenging Wade’s claim that the pair did not start dating until 2022.
Special Prosecutor Wade also filed a motion to quash the subpoena, saying the request for records was overly broad and a form of harassment and intimidation.
What charges does Michael Roman face in the Trump election interference case?
Roman is facing seven charges in connection with the DA’s Office’s investigation into alleged interference in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election, including violation of the Georgia RICO Act, conspiracy to impersonate a public official, and count of counterfeiting in the first degree. Involves conspiracy and conspiracy to commit fraud. False statements and writings.
Judge McAfee said he would defer his decision on whether those subpoenaed by the defense would have to testify during the two-day hearing, so they could be called to present their case at trial.
