Fulton County hearing: Trump case hangs in balance as judge mulls DA Willis' disqualification
The defense wants to disqualify DA Fani Willis in Trump's Georgia election case.
Following three days of testimony plus closing arguments, Scott McAfee, the judge overseeing former President Donald Trump's Georgia election interference case, is weighing motions to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, primarily over accusations from Trump co-defendant Michael Roman that she benefited financially from a "personal, romantic relationship" with prosecutor Nathan Wade, who she hired for the case.
Willis and Wade, in a court filing, admitted to the relationship but said it "does not amount to a disqualifying conflict of interest" and that the relationship "has never involved direct or indirect financial benefit to District Attorney Willis."
Top headlines:
- Defense says Willis committed 'unforgivable' misconduct
- Hearing concludes, judge says ruling expected within 2 weeks
- Judge presses DA's office: 'Money has changed hands'
- Bradley says he does 'not have the date' when relationship started
- Trump attorney accuses Nathan Wade of perjury
- Willis says she didn't consider relationship romantic before hiring
Willis' use of cash a 'Black thing,' father testifies
DA Fani Willis on Thursday repeatedly testified that when prosecutor Nathan Wade booked their travel or paid for meals, she would repay him with large amounts of cash -- an arrangement that appeared to draw skepticism from defense counsel.
On the stand today, Willis’ father, John Floyd, explained his daughter’s use of cash as “a Black thing.”
“I was trained -- and most black folks -- they hide cash, or they keep cash,” Floyd said. “I’ve told my daughter: 'You keep six months’ worth of cash -- always.”
“And as a matter of fact, I gave my daughter her first cash box and told her always keep some cash,” he testified.
Willis' father testifies he didn't meet Wade until 2023
DA Fani Willis' father, John Floyd, testified that he did not meet prosecutor Nathan Wade until 2023.
"Did you ever meet Mr. Wade in the year 2019?" Michael Roman's attorney Ashleigh Merchant asked Floyd.
"Absolutely not," Floyd replied.
"You ever seen Mr. Wade at Miss Willis [at the] Fulton County house in the year 2021?" Merchant asked.
"Never," Floyd said.
Willis' father describes 'nightmare threats against her and me'
Fani Willis' father, John Floyd, described in detail the extent of the threats and abuse his daughter faced as her investigation into the former president ramped up, which eventually prompted her to leave her home.
"There have been so many death threats," he said. "And they said they were going to blow up the house, they were going to kill her, they were going to kill me, they were going to kill my grandchildren -- I mean, on and on and on."
Floyd said he lived with his daughter around the time, and that at one point the police sent an officer with a dog to sniff for bombs multiple times each day.
"Did you fear for her safety?" a state attorney asked.
"Absolutely," Floyd replied.
Floyd said that after Willis left the home, he lived there himself until December of 2022 -- when he said the "nightmare threats made against her and me" made the home "uninhabitable."
"I would have to walk around that house looking out of every window" to ensure no intruders were approaching the home, Floyd said.
Ex-governor turned down role before it was offered to Wade
Former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes testified that early in DA Fani Willis' election interference probe, he was asked by Willis about taking the special prosecutor role in the investigation, but that he turned it down.
The former governor initially said he didn't remember the day when that meeting occurred.
But after stepping off the stand, about 10 minutes later Barnes walked back into the courtroom with his phone in his hand and calendar app pulled up, to tell the court the date he had found.
He said that the meeting where he turned down the special prosecutor position was on Oct 26, 2021 -- which would have been a few days before Nathan Wade was contracted for the position on Nov. 1, 2021.
Co-defendant says 2nd witness can dispute timeline testimony
As Judge Scott McAfee continues to weigh the potential disqualification of DA Fani Willis, one of Trump's co-defendants is now offering a second witness who they say would dispute the testimony of prosecutor Nathan Wade's former attorney, Terrance Bradley, regarding his lack of knowledge of the timing of Wade and Willis' relationship.
Attorneys for defendant Cathy Latham say they spoke to attorney Manny Aurora, who represented former co-defendant Kenneth Chesebro, who later took a plea deal in the election case. Aurora, according to a motion filed Monday, told them he had "several" conversations with Bradley in which Bradley said he had "personal knowledge" regarding the timeline of Willis' relationship with Wade, which Willis and Wade testified did not begin until after Willis hired Wade to work on the election case in November 2021.
According to the motion, Bradley allegedly told Aurora during their discussions that Wade and Willis had "definitely" begun a romantic relational in 2019.
"Mr. Bradley stated he had personal knowledge of the relationship between Mr. Wade and district Attorney Willis, including details regarding the use of Ms. Robin Yeartie's apartment such as Mr. Wade's having a garage opener to the property," the filing claims.