by Madeleine Hubbard
A judge in Georgia ruled Friday that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can remain on the case in which former President Trump and 18 co-defendants are accused of meddling in the 2020 election results.
However, Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee said either Willis or special prosecutor Nathan Wade can stay on case, not both, after hearing arguments that Willis and Wade’s personal relationship compromised the case.
A Trump co-defendant tried to have Willis removed upon learning she and Wade, whom Willis hired for the case, had or were having a romantic relationship. Among the arguments was that Willis financially benefitted from the deal, considering, in part, Wade was paying for them to take romantic vacations.
McAfee said he found the “allegations and evidence legally insufficient to support a finding of an actual conflict of interest.” However, he found there remains an “appearance of impropriety,” according to the Associated Press.
Much of hearing last month on trying to remove Willis centered on whether she hired Wade while dating him, or after they started working together.
“Even if the romantic relationship began after SADA Wade’s initial contract in November 2021, the District Attorney chose to continue supervising and paying Wade while maintaining such a relationship,” the judge wrote. “She further allowed the regular and loose exchange of money between them without any exact or verifiable measure of reconciliation.”
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