Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis defends the special prosecutor in the wake of a romantic relationship claim

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis defends the special prosecutor in the wake of a romantic relationship claim
Getty Images

Fani Willis, the district attorney for Fulton County in Atlanta, defended the special prosecutor she brought in for the case involving election meddling against Donald Trump, and made impassioned, impassioned remarks at a church on Sunday morning that seemed to acknowledge for the very first time the affair allegations made against her last week.

She joked, “I hope for you all this week I don’t seem like what I’ve been through,” as she spoke on Sunday during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day service at the Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Join our Channel

In an attempt to have the indictment against former President Trump dismissed and DA Willis removed from office, one of the co-defendants in the former president’s Georgia election interference case claims she “engaged in a personal, romantic relationship” with one of the highest-ranking prosecutors she hired for the case, which allegedly brought in money for both of them.

Michael Roman, a former employee of the Trump campaign, accused Willis of possibly committing “an act to defraud the public of honest services” in a court filing on Monday. He cited Willis’s “intentional failure” to disclose the relationship from which she allegedly “personally benefitted.”

The prosecutor, Nathan Wade, is accused in a 127-page filing from Roman’s legal representative Ashleigh Merchant of having a “lack of relevant experience” despite receiving about $650,000 in legal fees since taking the position, which the filing calls a “self-serving arrangement.” On Friday, Trump’s legal representative stated in court that they may join the lawsuit against Willis.

In her live-streamed remarks on Sunday, Willis called herself “flawed” and “imperfect” several times.

Willis also said that she was “a little confused” as to why so many people were questioning the choice to enlist multiple special prosecutors in the case. She also described Wade as a “great friend” who received the same compensation as others and went into great detail to defend his “impeccable credentials” for the position, implying that the criticism of him was based on race.

“Three special counselors were appointed by me. I’m allowed to do that. Paid them all the same hourly rate,” Willis said. They target just one. I hired one white woman, a superstar, I assure you, who was also a great lawyer and good friend. One white man, brilliant, a great lawyer, and a friend, is all I hired. And I enlisted the services of a fantastic lawyer, a great friend, and another Black man.”

Willis never refuted or addressed the claims that she had an improper relationship with Wade. She went on to brag about Wade’s resume, noting that he “served as a prosecutor, a criminal defense lawyer, and special assistant attorney general,” and that he was paid more than twice as much when hired by a Republican in a different county.

“Isn’t it they playing the race card as they only question one?” replied she.

In her heartfelt speech on Sunday, Willis spoke for over thirty minutes and went into great detail about the challenges she has faced as the Fulton County District Attorney and in charge of the Trump case. She talked about being forced out of her house due to ongoing death threats, “loneliness,” “isolation,” and “backstabbing.”

“I am sick of being treated cruelly,” she replied.

Willis revealed that she had written a letter to God earlier this week, in which she expressed her feelings that she was “unworthy” of the position. “Lord, even right now, I continue to feel unworthy of the honor,” Willis said, appearing to cry as she read the letter.

“A divorced single mom who doesn’t associate with the right social groups. Not always from the right family. Does not have the right pedigree. For me, a lowly person, the assignment was simply too high,” Willis remarked.

She talked about how her life and the lives of her family members have been “threatened so regularly, I now believe it’s not normal if I do not receive two death threats a week.” These threats are frequently motivated by racial prejudices.

She claimed that her house had been searched “multiple times for bombs” and that she was more often called the N-word than Fani. “Most days and nights” these days, she claimed, she is alone.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was also singled out by Willis.

“Those who attack me are not people I want to be like.” Marjorie Taylor Greene, who hasn’t met me but has allowed hatred to infiltrate her spirit, is someone I never want to be like,” the woman declared.

Despite this, Willis proudly highlighted the successes of her team, stating that they have a 95% conviction rate and “wins, wins, wins”.

“I thank you for each challenge that makes me stronger,” she stated.

Defying Willis’ suggestion in church on Sunday that the special prosecutor’s allegations were driven by race, Merchant says, “This has absolutely nothing to do with the color of his skin.”

Ask [Nathan] Wade how many RICO cases he has handled if you have any doubts about our assertion that he lacks experience. Inquire of him the number of felonies he has attempted, Merchant told ABC News.

According to Merchant, the relationship allegations set Wade apart from the other special prosecutors assigned to the case.

“The biggest distinction between Ms. Cross, Mr. Floyd, and Mr. Wade is that Ms. Willis is not in an affair with Ms. Cross and Mr. Floyd,” Merchant added. “And neither Ms. Cross or Mr. Floyd were taking Ms. Willis to California, Florida or on a cruise to the Caribbean.”

Reiterating her commitment to never file a motion without supporting evidence, Merchant said

“If we need to prove the charges in open court, we stand ready & welcome the chance,” she declared.

In August, Roman, Trump, and seventeen other defendants entered not-guilty pleas to all counts in a broad racketeering indictment about purported attempts to rig the 2020 Georgia presidential election results. Afterward, plea agreements were accepted by defendants Scott Hall, Jena Ellis, Sidney Powell, and Kenneth Chesebro in exchange for their willingness to testify against other defendants.

The former president dismissed the district attorney’s inquiry as being politically motivated.

Leave a comment