DA Fani Willis takes stand and defends herself against accusations of misconduct as legal developments roll on for Trump
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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis eagerly took the witness stand today in Fulton County Superior Court during a hearing on the Georgia election interference case. The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether Willis and her office should be removed from prosecuting the case due to her relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she hired for the election interference case against former President Donald Trump.

Willis’ testimony marked the culmination of a dramatic day-long hearing as she responded to the motion by defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant to disqualify her and the entire Fulton DA’s office. Merchant has accused Wade and Willis of financially benefiting from the prosecution.
Responding to what she perceived as months of malicious and salacious attacks, Willis stood her ground and effectively defended herself against what she said were lies and accusations of misconduct. She accused the defense of spreading lies about her romantic relationship to divert attention from the alleged election subversion. At one point, Willis emphasized that she was not on trial and refuted the defense’s attempts to shift the focus from the alleged crimes committed by the defendants. She also accused the defense attorneys of delving into her personal life to change the focus from the alleged crimes committed by clients. Said Willis, “You’re confused. You think I’m on trial,” Willis told Ashleigh Merchant, the attorney who exposed the Willis-Wade relationship. “These (defendants) are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. I’m not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial.” ‘
During her testimony, Willis confirmed her personal involvement with Wade, asserting that it began months after she hired him and that it had ended. However, she insisted that she paid her own way during their travels, which the other side has seized on.
Judge Scott McAfee intervened to restore decorum a few times after interruptions, including lawyers talking over each other.
Wade, who earned over $728,000 for his work on the case, testified earlier and refuted allegations that Willis benefited from hiring him through paid vacations. Wade testified that he and Willis developed a professional relationship in 2019 and said Willis reimbursed him in cash for her portion of any trips they took. Wade was also questioned about his time on the case as the state pointed to him having worked a large portion of time in which he did not get paid because of a cap on his contract. The state attempted to point out the obvious, that Wade did not have his additional time paid by Willis’ office and that he worked within the time allotted for his contract. When asked why he continued to work without payment for his time, Wade said because the case demanded it.

A former friend of Willis, Robin Bryant Yeartie, testified before Wade to allowing Willis to rent her condo and having witnessed affectionate interactions between Willis and Wade. However, her credibility was quickly called into question after it was reveled that she had been fired from the DA’s office due to performance issues. She insisted she resigned, yet when questioned about why she left the D.A.’s office, Yeartie provided conflicting statements. She confirmed that she and Willis have not spoken to each other since that day, which may taint her testimony.
Merchant later called Wade to the witness stand, where he maintained that their romantic involvement began around March 2022. Wade, who earned over $728,000 for his work on the case, testified and refuted allegations that Willis benefited from hiring him through paid vacations. Wade told the court that Willis reimbursed him in cash for her portion of the travel. Lawyers from the state questioned Wade about the totality of his time on the case as they pointed out that Wade had worked a large portion of time in which he did not get paid because of a cap on his contract. When asked, Wade said he continued to work without payment for his time because the case demanded it.
When it was Willis’ turn on the stand, she was ready, entering the courtroom before she was called and asking to be sworn in. She vehemently disputed claims made by the defense, while repeatedly calling Merchant a liar for filing documents she knew was untrue including comments that she and Wade spent nights together at a condo Willis leased from Yeartie. Steve Sadow, an attorney for former President Donald Trump, asked why she didn’t disclose her relationship with Wade to other prosecutors on the case. Willis responded by defending her right to keep her private life private.
The hearing is ongoing, with Willis expected to undergo cross-examination on Friday, and the DA’s team planning to call additional witnesses, including Willis’ father, John Clifford Floyd III. The first witness, Terrence Bradley, spoke briefly from the witness stand, citing attorney-client privilege.
Meanwhile, Trump was having his day in court in New York where a judge there has set the trial date for Trump’s historic first trial in the hush-money criminal case for March 25. Trump is accused of paying hush money to a Porn Star, Stormy Daniels. This case involves allegations related to payments made to individuals to keep them silent about certain matters, and the trial date marks a significant legal event for Trump.
On Friday, a different New York judge is expected to issue a decision on a separate civil fraud case against Trump. In this case, state prosecutors seek a $370 million fine against Trump and want him barred from doing business in New York. The prosecutors allege that Trump and his company committed significant fraud against banks and insurers by providing false information about his net worth and assets. The outcome of this case could have substantial consequences for Trump’s business and legal standing.