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 testifies that she paid for trips in cash
DA Fani Willis pointedly testified that she paid prosecutor Nathan Wade for the cruise they took and Aruba trip they went on -- in cash -- before they even went.
"Did you pay him back? For the cruise and for Aruba?“ asked defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant.
“Yeah, I gave him his money before we ever went on that trip," Willis replied.
"And so when you got cash to pay him back on these trips, did you go to the ATM?" asked Merchant.
"No," said Willis.
"So the cash that you would pay him, you wouldn't get it out of the bank?" Merchant asked.
"I have money in my house," Willis replied. “For many, many years I have kept money in my house."
"I just have cash in my house," Willis continued. "I don't have as much today as I would normally have, but I'm building back up now."
Willis testified that her father says, "As a woman you should always ... you should have at least six months in cash at your house at all time."
"I don't know why this old black man feels like that. But he does," she said.
Willis says she and witness haven't had 'consistent friendship'
DA Fani Willis, in heated testimony, said that Robin Yeartie, who testified earlier, betrayed her friendship and that both of them have not retained a "consistent friendship."
"There's a saying, 'No good deed goes unpunished,'" Willis said. "And I think that she betrayed our friendship."
"I ran into her about 10 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia," Willis said of Yeartie. "So we didn't talk throughout that time period. I didn't see her. I didn't even know where she was."
"And so yes, I have known her probably since 1990, 1991, but we have not maintained a consistent relationship that whole time," Willis added.
Earlier, Yeartie testified that Willis told her about the romantic relationship with Wade.
Yeartie said she saw them "hugging, kissing, just affection."
Willis said at one point said she took over Yeartie's lease and would pay her rent in cash or by Cash App.
Willis testifies she and Wade began dating in 2022
DA Fani Willis, on the stand, testified that she and prosecutor Nathan Wade began dating in 2022 -- rebutting an earlier witness who testified the relationship began before Wade was hired.
Speaking about a trip that she and Wade took in April 2022, Willis testified they began dating "right around then."
"When did you start dating?" defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant asked.
"It was right 'round then," Willis responded.
"April 2022?" Merchant asked.
"Around then," Willis said.
Willis, on the stand, fights back against allegations as 'lies'
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.
Wade testifies Willis often paid him back for their travels
Addressing allegations that he paid for DA Fani Willis' travel when the two of them traveled together, prosecutor Nathan Wade testified that Willis often paid him back in cash or spent money on him in other ways so that expenses roughly "balanced out," insisting that Willis "carries her own weight."
"All of the vacations she took, she paid you cash?" defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant asked.
"Yes ma'am," Wade said.
The defense has accused Willis of improperly benefiting financially from the relationship, by paying Wade a salary that was then used to pay for their travels together.
Speaking more broadly, Wade insisted that throughout their entire relationship, Willis paid her own way, painting it as character trait of hers.
"If you've ever spent any time with Mrs. Willis you understand she's a very independent proud woman, so she's going to insist that she carries her own weight," he testified.
"It actually was a point of contention between the two of us," Wade said. "She was going to pay her own way."
Wade went through the various trips booked on his credit card, one by one, including trips to Napa Valley and Belize. In one instance, Wade testified it was actually Willis who paid for the "entire trip" -- despite the fact that it was on his credit card.
On the Napa trip, Wade testified that Willis paid for the excursions, "so the expenses sort of balances out." He said it was like any relationship: "In a relationship, you don't -- particularly men -- you don't go asking back," Wade said. "You're not keeping a ledger."