Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testified at a hearing Thursday that could amid efforts to get her disqualified from Georgia’s 2020 election interference case against former President Donald Trump.
Trump co-defendant Michael Roman said Willis “benefited financially” from a “personal, romantic relationship” with prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she hired for the case.
Willis testified she paid Wade for the cruise they took and Aruba trip they went on — in cash.
“Did you pay him back? For the cruise and for Aruba?“ asked defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant.
“Yeah, I gave him his money before we ever went on that trip,” Willis replied.
Willis said she ended things with Wade, recalling it as being a “tough conversation”.
“I’m asking you whether or not prior to Nov. 1 of 2021, there was a romantic relationship with Mr. Wade?” Sadow asked.
“I didn’t consider my relationship with him to be romantic before that,” Willis said.
Things got heated at one point when Willis told Merchant “You lied” just before a shouting match broke out.
“You’re confused. You think I’m on trial. These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. I’m not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial,” Willis said.
In his sworn statement, Wade said he had “no personal relationship” with Willis before the case or when he started as one of the prosecutors in 2022.
“Our relationship was not a secret,” Wade said on the stand. “It was just private.” He later revealed that they are no longer in a romantic relationship but said they are “very good friends.” “Probably closer than ever because of these attacks,” he added.
Donald Trump did not attend Thursday’s hearing in Georgia but opted to appear in New York, where he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the New York case, tied to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
