Fani Willis, the Georgia district attorney driving the landmark election interference case against ex-President Donald Trump, is facing accusations that she improperly hired her romantic partner as the trial’s prosecutor.
The allegations, first aired by Michael Roman – one of the 19 co-defendants in Mr Trump’s case – have raised a flurry of questions about Ms Willis’ conduct and judgement.
On Friday, documents filed in the divorce case of her alleged lover, Nathan Wade, suggested he also paid for lavish trips on Ms Willis’ behalf while the case was underway.
Receipts provided by his ex-wife, Joycelyn Wade, appear to show that he paid for her to travel to Miami and San Francisco. It is unclear whether he was reimbursed for the payments.
Ms Willis and her lawyers have accused Ms Wade of “conspiring with interested parties in the criminal Election Interference Case… to annoy, embarrass, and oppress” her.
But the claims could prove damaging to the high-flying prosecutor’s position.
Mr Trump has already seized on the allegations on his social network, Truth Social, posting that the “lovebirds” are targeting him “in order to ENRICH themselves, and to live the Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous”.
What is Fani Willis accused of?
In early January, Mr Roman filed a motion accusing Ms Willis of engaging in an “improper, clandestine personal relationship” with Mr Wade.
He claimed this had resulted in “the special prosecutor, and, in turn, the district attorney, profiting significantly from this prosecution at the expense of the taxpayers”.
Mr Roman, who worked on the 2020 Trump campaign, has been charged over his role in helping put forward a slate of fake pro-Trump electors in Georgia and other battleground states.
He argued that Mr Wade would not typically have been hired for the special prosecutor role due to his lack of experience, and alleged that his legal fees of $650,000 (£513,000) over the past year were exorbitant.
He has urged the court to dismiss the election case and also disqualify Ms Willis from prosecuting the case.
Fani Willis should be fired or graciously step down from her position as DA. Even better for the ppl of Atlanta and the office she holds she should resign.
Willis needs to leave the race card out of this that she has done to herself.