Fulton County hearing: Trump case hangs in balance as judge mulls DA disqualification

DA Fani Willis was pressed repeatedly by Trump attorney Steve Sadow about whether Willis had a romantic relationship with Wade prior to November 2021.

“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.

Sadow asked Willis whether Wade visited the condo leased by her friend Robin Yeartie. Willis previously said she took over Yeartie’s lease at one point and paid her rent.

“Would you give us an approximation of how many times Mr. Wade visited you at the condo between the time you moved in and prior to November 2020?” Sadow asked.

“I don't think often, but I don't -- I don't want to speculate,” Willis replied.

Former President Trump's attorney Steven Sadow is now questioning Fani Willis on the stand.

As Sadow stepped up to question her, he started with a veiled dig at the DA.

"I'm going to try to ask you questions that you can actually answer without having to explain, OK?" Sadow said.

"Yes, sir. My comprehension skills are pretty good. So we should do all right," Willis replied.

"We shall soon see," Sadow said.

Sadow began questioning Willis about her condo, which Wade testified earlier that he visited before being hired.

At one point when Sadow raised his voice, Willis said, "You don't have to yell at me."

Following a brief recess, the hearing resumed with Judge Scott McAfee urging decorum following the shouting match.

"I advise everyone -- this being a room mostly full of lawyers -- I urge everyone to keep those principles in line and not talk over each other," the judge told the court.

But as Willis' heated testimony continued, the judge threatened to strike Willis's testimony.

"I'm going to have to caution you -- you have to listen to the questions asked, and if this happens again and again, I'm going to have no choice but to strike your testimony," the judge told the DA.

DA Fani Willis heatedly told defense attorney Ashleigh 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 forcefully from the stand.

Speaking earlier about prosecutor Nathan Wade, Willis said she and Wade had a "tough conversation" in August after their relationship ended, but that her respect for him has grown "over the seven weeks of these attacks."

That prompted an objection from Trump attorney Steve Sadow.

Willis than answered by saying "You lied" to Merchant, and a shouting match ensued between Sadow, Merchant, Willis and the judge.

The court then went into a brief recess.