Fani Willis testifies in misconduct hearing that could derail Trump case

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The Georgia prosecutor leading a sprawling election interference case against Donald Trump is on the witness stand for a hearing on allegations of misconduct levelled against her by the former president and his co-defendants – questions that could potentially disqualify them from the case.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis began her testimony in an Atlanta courtroom on Thursday after defence attorneys questioned lead prosecutor Nathan Wade about the timeline of their relationship and expenses they shared.

The attorneys had already admitted to their relationship but firmly rejected the “meritless” and “salacious” allegations as “bad-faith” attempts to see her kicked off a case that Mr Trump has baselessly labelled a conspiracy against him, according to court filings.

Thursday’s hearing is scrutinizing allegations that the former couple financially benefited from Ms Willis hiring Mr Wade to prosecute the former president’s case, which charges Mr Trump and more than a dozen co-defendants as part of a “criminal enterprise” to overturn the state’s election results in 2020.

“I’ve been very anxious to have this conversation with you today,” Ms Willis told defence attorney Ashleigh Merchant. “It’s ridiculous that you lied on Monday and yet here we are. … I’m actually surprised that the hearing continued. But since it did, here I am.”

Robin Yeartie, a friend of Ms Willis when they were in college in the early 1990s, previously testified that Ms Willis and Mr Wade were in a romantic relationship beginning in 2019. During her testimony, Ms Willis vigorously denied those claims and called an allegation that she slept with Mr Wade after meeting him “extremely offensive”.

“That’s a lie,” she told Ms Merchant, a criminal defense attorney representing Trump co-defendant Mike Roman.

“That’s one of your lies,” she said.

Mr Wade’s signed affidavit in the case states that he and Ms Willis “developed a personal relationship in addition to our professional association and friendship” in 2022, several months after he was hired on the case.

He stated he has no financial interest in the case, that no funds from his hiring have been shared with Ms Willis, and that they have never shared any financial accounts, expenses or housing.

Ms Willis also testified that the couple began dating in March or April of 2022 and ended their romantic relationship in the summer fo 2023.

She accused Ms Merchant of repeatedly mischaracterising her testimony and repeating “lies” about her personal life in her questions to Ms Willis and in court filings.

“These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020,” she told her. “I’m not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial.”

Ms Willis had initially tried blocking efforts by the former president’s attorneys and other defense lawyers to compel her testimony, but she withdrew her objection on Thursday and told the court that she “ran” down the hall after learning that Mr Wade’s finished testifying.

“I’m ready to go,” she could be heard saying as she walked into the room.

Her testimony builds on what has become a high-stakes line of inquiry – what Ms Willis and others have cast as an effort to undermine her prosecution and delay Mr Trump’s proceedings – that could threaten her removal from the case altogether.

If Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee determines that she can be disqualified, her team would be removed and new prosecutors would be appointed, a process that could take months and further delay a sprawling trial that has been tentatively scheduled to begin in August.

This is a developing story