Judge Scott McAfee ruled in the misconduct hearing involving District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade. McAfee wrote that Willis can remain on the Trump RICO case if Wade steps aside.
McAfee stated that Willis acted in an “unprofessional manner” when she chose to have a relationship with Wade. However, the judge also wrote that Trump’s defense team did not prove that there was an actual conflict of interest by Willis traveling with Wade.
But while the hearing that focuses on Willis and Wade’s relationship has provided political entertainment, it has taken away the attention from Trump and his co-defendant’s alleged crimes of attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
The RICO case centers around the 2020 election probe when Trump asked former Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger during a phone call to help him secure over 11,000 votes, the amount in which he trailed Joe Biden in Georgia.
During a recorded call that took place on Jan. 2, 2021, Trump told Raffensperger, “All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”
But the details of alleged crimes have been put to the back-burner to delve into the romantic life of Willis and Wade.
Willis and Wade’s relationship came to light after Wade’s divorce proceedings caught the attention of the attorney for Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign official. Roman asked that his charges be dismissed because Willis’ alleged personal relationship with Wade should disqualify her from continuing to prosecute the case. There was also claims that Willis signed off to pay Wade $654,000 since 2022 to serve as a special prosecutor.
During her fiery testimony, Willis provided details of the relationship and when it started. This came after a former acquaintance, Robin Yeartie, claimed through testimony that she was Willis and Wade kissing in 2019.
However, Willis and Wade both shared that their relationship began in 2022 and ended during the summer of 2023, before RICO indictments were announced against Donald Trump and others.
Willis’ father John Floyd III also provided intriguing testimony. During testimony, Floyd said, “maybe—and excuse me your honor, I’m not trying to be racist—but it’s a Black thing.” Floyd told the court a story of how he faced discrimination while doing a fellowship at Harvard when Willis was a child. While with Willis and her mother, Floyd attempted to pay for a meal and coffee with a credit card and traveler’s check. However, Floyd was told by the establishment that only cash was accepted. With only $10 of cash in his pocket, Floyd paid for the meal which came to $9.95. I was trained, and most Black folks, they hide cash or they keep cash, and I was trained you always keep some cash,” he added. “I gave my daughter her first cash box and told her, ‘Always keep some cash.’”
Terrence Bradley was marked as the star witness for defense attorneys, but he testified that he did not have information of when Willis and Wade’s relationship began.
Under Georgia Law, a prosecutor is disqualified from a case due to a “conflict of interest” when the prosecutor’s conflicting loyalties could prejudice the defendant leading to an improper conviction. Georgia law states, “[t]here are two generally recognized grounds for disqualification of a prosecuting attorney. The first such ground is based on a conflict of interest, and the second ground has been described as ‘forensic misconduct.’”
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