Trump, allies press misconduct claim against Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis
Trump prosecutor testifies about romance with colleague By Reuters
Breaking News
‘;
Published Feb 15, 2024 06:02AM ET
Updated Feb 15, 2024 11:36AM ET
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks at a press conference next to prosecutor Nathan Wade after a Grand Jury brought back indictments against former president Donald Trump and his allies in their attempt to overturn the state’s 2
By Andrew Goudsward
(Reuters) -One of the lawyers prosecuting Donald Trump for trying to overturn his election defeat in Georgia testified on Tuesday about his personal relationship with the lead prosecutor, a liaison the former U.S. president and his allies allege has tainted the case.
The lawyer, Nathan Wade, took the witness stand during a hearing in a state court in Atlanta on claims by Trump and allies that Wade’s relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis presented an improper conflict of interest.
He spoke after a former friend and employee of Willis, Robin Yeartie, contradicted the timeline of the relationship Wade presented in a sworn statement to the court.
Yeartie testified that Willis and Wade began dating shortly after they met in 2019 and before Wade was contracted to lead the Trump case. Willis and Wade have said the romantic relationship began in 2022 after Wade was already working as a special prosecutor.
Trump and several of his co-defendants are seeking to disqualify Willis and her office from prosecuting the case.
The Georgia case is one of four criminal prosecutions that Trump is facing as he closes in on securing the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the November election. Trump himself was in New York on Thursday where a judge scheduled a trial on charges related to hush-money payments to a porn star.
A lawyer for former Trump adviser Michael Roman, one of 15 remaining defendants in the Georgia case, first raised the allegations in a court filing last month that accused Willis, an elected Democrat, of benefiting financially from the relationship, including by accepting trips from Wade.
Willis’ office has blasted the disqualification effort as a publicity stunt based on “fantastical theories and rank speculation.”
The allegations have roiled Willis’ historic prosecution of Trump and 14 allies who have pleaded not guilty to charges of forming a criminal conspiracy to overturn Trump’s 2020 defeat in Georgia.
Trump has long presented the Georgia prosecution, and others he faces, as politically motivated attempts to prevent him from returning to power. He has highlighted the claims against Willis as evidence of perceived misconduct by those pursing him.
Trump signed onto the disqualification effort, accusing Willis of improperly discussing race during a speech in which she appeared to reference the allegations. Willis, who along with Wade is Black, has said her remarks did not violate any ethical rules.
Willis and Wade could be forced to testify at the hearing after the judge said he would not immediately rule on their effort to quash subpoenas from Roman demanding they take the witness stand.
McAfee said on Monday that if allegations of financial impropriety by Willis are proven, it could be grounds to disqualify her office from the case, an outcome that would likely cause substantial delays and throw the future of the case into doubt.
Trump’s lawyers have been working to delay the various prosecutions he faces. Were he to win the November election, he could order a halt to two federal prosecutions — or possibly pardon himself of any federal convictions — as well as argue that as president he should not face state prosecutions like the Georgia case.
Trump prosecutor testifies about romance with colleague
Terms And Conditions
Privacy Policy
Risk Warning
Do not sell my personal information
© 2007-2024 Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.