Georgia district attorney Fani Willis continues to take media heat for allegations she had an "improper" romantic relationship with a prosecutor that could taint the case she brought against former President Trump on election interference.
Court documents filed earlier this month say Willis, the D.A. of Fulton County, hired special prosecutor Nathan Wade, her alleged romantic partner, to help prosecute Trump and benefited financially from the relationship in the form of lavish vacations that the two went on using funds his firm received for working the case.
Willis has not confirmed or denied the claim, but suggested she and Wade are being scrutinized because of their race.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday published an analysis headlined, "Lack of Willis response lets critics make hay in Trump probe," that said some state GOP leaders who were initially reluctant to criticized her have changed their tune.
"The absence of a formal response from Fani Willis has left a vacuum that’s allowed her biggest critics, including Trump, to run wild with unchecked claims about the veteran prosecutor, her decision-making and the validity of the case," AJC reporters Tamar Hallerman and Greg Bluestein wrote.
"Willis’ silence has provided an opening for Georgia’s most powerful Republicans, some of whom had previously offered a cautious defense of Willis’ conduct, to change their tune — and open the door to a more formal rebuke," they added, noting that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called the allegations "deep troubling."
Fulton County records show Wade has been paid nearly $654,000 in legal fees since January 2022, an amount authorized by the district attorney, or Willis in this case.
Willis spoke out about the claims on Sunday at Atlanta’s Big Bethel AME Church, claiming only the Black prosecutor she hired has faced scrutiny while two White colleagues get a pass. But she failed to deny the allegations and "her silence on those matters has fueled concerns among Democratic allies," according to Hallerman and Bluestein.
The liberal Daily Beast even published an opinion piece by Georgia criminal defense attorney Andrew Fleischman, "Why we can’t just shrug off the Fani Willis scandal," with the subhead, "If the DA prosecuting Trump prolonged an investigation to justify a hefty salary for a romantic partner, that is a genuine conflict of interest that would require her dismissal."
Fleischman wrote there is "good reason" why Wade has been scrutinized and the other two special prosecutors have not.
"The other two special prosecutors are incredibly qualified," Fleischman wrote before calling Wade’s credentials "a bit of a sideshow."
GEORGIA DA FANI WILLIS CLAIMS 'IMPROPER' RELATIONSHIP ACCUSATIONS ARE BASED ON RACE
"They are relevant only to suggest that there was a personal relationship between Willis and Wade. It certainly doesn’t help that Wade filed papers to divorce his wife the day after Fani Willis hired him. But even if he were indisputably the best person possible for the role, he was paid $654,000, and Willis made choices throughout her prosecution that seem, in hindsight, calculated to require him," Fleischman wrote.
"The standard to disqualify Fulton County here is not whether Fani Willis actually made her decisions to benefit Nathan Wade. It’s plausible that she would have made the exact same choices without the personal relationship," Fleischman continued. "But if her choices to extend or prolong the investigation benefit a romantic partner, who is paying for her meals and vacations, that is an actual conflict."
Trump was indicted by Willis in August and pleaded not guilty to charges related to allegedly attempting to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, including violation of Georgia's anti-racketeering law.
Trump’s co-defendant, Michael Roman, accused Willis and Wade of having an "improper" and "clandestine" affair at the same time appointments were being made for the 2020 election interference case. Roman was a former official on Trump’s 2020 campaign and argued about the integrity of the case being compromised because of the affair, asking last week for the charges against Roman to be dropped.
TOP TRUMP PROSECUTOR, GEORGIA DA ALLEGED TO BE IN ‘IMPROPER’ ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP: COURT FILING
The filing also calls for the entire district attorney's office, including Willis and Wade, to be disqualified from prosecuting the case.
Fleischman explained the next steps.
"Judge McAfee has stated his intention to hold a hearing in February to look over the truth of these allegations. If they are true, the case will not be dismissed, but it is likely that he will disqualify Fani Willis, which, under Georgia law, will require disqualifying her entire office. The case will then go to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, which will decide who the case can go on to next," he wrote.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner and David Rutz contributed to this report.
