District Attorney Fani Willis and top prosecutor in Trump Georgia RICO case admit affair but deny impropriety

District Attorney Fani Willis and a top lieutenant in the Georgia racketeering case against former President Donald Trump Thursday both admitted on the witness stand that they had a sexual affair but denied any impropriety that could impact the case.

In a dramatic courtroom moment, Willis rose and told the court that she would take the stand: “I’m ready to go.”

The Atlanta prosecutor angrily rebutted salacious claims that her affair with prosecutor Nathan Wade amounted to an impermissible conflict of interest in the explosive case against Trump for allegedly seeking to steal the presidential election from President Biden.

“It’s highly offensive when someone lies on you,” Willis told a defense lawyer.

She insisted that she and Wade split the costs for jaunts to Aruba and the Bahamas, Belize and Napa, California.

“He tells me how much the money was and I gave him the money back,” Willis said. “I have money in my home,”

Willis snapped at the defense lawyer that she has nothing to apologize for.

“I’m not on trial,” Willis said, waving at the defense table. “They are on trial for trying to steal an election.”

Judge Scott McAfee did not immediately make any ruling on the motion to disqualify Willis and did not say when he might rule.

Willis’ removal would be a stunning development in the most sprawling of the four criminal cases against Trump. A delay that could result if Willis were to be ousted would likely reduce the odds of a trial taking place before the November election, when Trump hopes to win back the White House.

Willis testified after Wade said they carried on a romantic relationship for more than a year starting in 2022 until last summer, a period when they were working together to build the case against Trump.

Wade was mostly unflappable as he parried questions from lawyers for Trump and his codefendants, who suggested the affair amounted to an impermissible conflict of interest between the two top prosecutors.

The credibility of both Wade and Willis took a hit earlier in the day when a former friend of Willis testified that she believed their affair started more than a year earlier than Wade and Willis have claimed and before Wade was hired by Willis to help run the case against Trump.

Robin Yeartie’s testimony provided some ammunition for defense lawyers who say Willis should be removed from the case over what they call an improper conflict leading to Wade’s hiring and their spending on cruises and vacations.

In a court filing earlier this month, Willis and Wade said they were not involved in a personal relationship when Wade was hired in November 2021. They asserted that that they shared travel expenses for more than a year and never lived together.

But Yeartie, who worked for Willis’ office then left under acrimonious circumstances, testified that she saw Wade and Willis hugging and kissing prior to November 2021 at a condo that she owns and where Willis lived for some time.

Since the allegations of an inappropriate relationship surfaced last month in a motion filed by Trump codefendant Michael Roman, the former president has used them to try to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Willis’ case. Other Republicans have cited them in calling for investigations into Willis, a Democrat who is up for reelection this year.

Willis has argued she has no financial or personal conflict of interest that justifies removing her or her office from the case. Her filing called the allegations “salacious” and said they were designed to generate headlines.

McAfee has said he could disqualify Willis “if evidence is produced demonstrating an actual conflict or the appearance of one.”

The judge said he believes the affair is only relevant if the defense can show the “existence and extent of any personal benefit conveyed as a result of the relationship.”

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