DA Fani Willis began her testimony by slamming the allegations against her, as well as co-defendant Mike Roman's attorney, and the news media for its coverage.

"I've been very anxious to have this conversation with you today," Willis said almost immediately. She also said, "I've been in the office pacing."

Willis plainly accused Roman's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, of lying, and assailed the media.

"It seems today, a lawyer writes a lie and then it's printed to all the world to see," Willis said.

Willis' remarks drew objection from Trump's attorney Steve Sadow.

"I object to the speech making," Sadow said, but Willis kept going.

"It's highly offensive when someone lies on you," Willis said.

As attorneys were arguing over DA Fani Willis' testimony, Willis surprised the court by walking into the courtroom unannounced, and prosecutors withdrew their motion to quash the subpoena for her testimony.

The DA then took the stand.

Under questioning from an attorney with the DA's office, prosecutor Nathan Wade testified that his income decreased after signing on to work with Fulton County, and that he had to work "so many hours" that he couldn't get paid for.

"In 2022, your estimated monthly income at that time was $14,000 a month?" special prosecutor Anna Cross asked.

"Yes," Wade replied.

"In 2023, what did that number come to?" asked Cross.

"$9,500," Wade said.

When asked about the hours Wade worked that he didn't get paid for due to a cap, because of a cap, Wade said there were "so many hours" that he worked that he couldn't get paid for.

"This invoice makes me cry," Wade said. "There's so many hours here that I worked that I couldn't I couldn't get paid for."

"This is not the type of job that you can walk away from just because you're not getting paid for it," Wade said.

Trump's attorney Steve Sadow asked Wade about visiting Willis' Atlanta-area condo before November 2021, which would have been prior to his getting a contract with the DA office.

"Did you and Ms. Willis go to the Hapeville condo prior to Nov. 1, 2021?" Sadow asked.

"Yes," said Wade, who said he "maybe went to talk about a document that I received."

Sadow then asked Wade if phone records showed Wade made calls from Willis' condo prior to November 2021 ,would they be wrong.

"Yes sir," Wade replied.

Asked what other reasons phone records would show him making calls from that area if they were not made from Willis' apartment, Wade pointed to the airport near Hapeville.

Earlier, the defense attorney for ex-DOJ official Jeffrey Clark told the judge that the DA's office has put an "irreparable stain" on the case and are now a "global laughingstock."

"Think of the message that would be sent if they were not disqualified," attorney Harry MacDougald told the judge. "If this is tolerated, we'll get more of it. This office is a global laughingstock because of their conduct. They should be disqualified and the case should be dismissed."

MacDougald argued that Willis has six different conflicts of interest in the case, "any one of which warrants disqualification." He alleged the conflicts include a financial conflict, the speech at the church, and her "pattern of deceit and concealment," among others.

"The problem here is that the DA cannot distinguish between her personal interests and ambitions on the one hand, and her public duties as a prosecutor on the other," MacDougald said. "And apparently neither can anyone else in their office."

Richard Rice, the attorney for Trump co-defendant Robert Cheeley, also argued that the volume of alleged texts and calls between Willis and Wade proves their romantic relationship began prior to Wade receiving his job with the DA office.