An Atlanta judge ruled this morning that Fani T. Willis, the Fulton Country district attorney, could stay on as the leading prosecutor of former President Donald J. Trump only if her former ex-boyfriend, Nathan J. Wade, withdraws from the case.
McAfee found that Willis and Wade’s relationship led to no “actual conflict” but that the “appearance of impropriety” could taint the case moving forward.
“As the case moves forward, reasonable members of the public could easily be left to wonder whether the financial exchanges have continued resulting in some form of benefit to the District Attorney, or even whether the romantic relationship has resumed,” Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee wrote in his 23-page ruling. “Put differently, an outsider could reasonably think that the District Attorney is not exercising her independent professional judgment totally free of any compromising influences. As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist.”
BREAKING:
— Gerald A. Griggs (@AttorneyGriggs) March 15, 2024
Judge Scott McAfee has decided that Fulton County DA #FaniWillis WILL NOT be removed from prosecuting the racketeering case against Donald Trump. However, due to concerns regarding potential bias, either she or the special prosecutor she had a relationship with must… pic.twitter.com/pUTm8V3n8x
Willis charged Trump and 18 individuals in August with conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Trump pleaded not guilty to the 13 counts, while four of his co-defendants have pleaded guilty to the charges.
McAfee is the judge overseeing the racketeering case against Trump and his co-defendants. Trump’s legal team argued that Willis should be disqualified from leading the case as she and Wade kept their relationship a secret.
Wade was hired to work on the Trump case, but both say that their relationship did not begin until 2022 after Willis hired him.
