The
accusation came in a filing by co-defendant Michael Roman, who
is seeking to have his indictment dismissed.
The document, citing sources, alleges a romantic relationship
between Willis and the prosecutor, Nathan Wade, and says Willis
contracted Wade without the required approval by the county.
"Sources close to both the special prosecutor and the district
attorney have confirmed Willis and Wade had an ongoing, personal
and romantic relationship during the pendency of Wade's divorce
proceedings."
The 127-page filing also alleges that the pair profited
"significantly from this prosecution at the expense of the
taxpayers," adding that Wade has been paid $653,881 as of
December 2023.
"Accordingly, the district attorney and the special prosecutor
have violated laws regulating the use of public monies, suffer
from irreparable conflicts of interest, and have violated their
oaths of office under the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct
and should be disqualified from prosecuting this matter," the
filing said.
A spokesperson for the Fulton County District Attorney did not
immediately respond to request for comment.
Willis' office did not immediately respond to a request for
comment. ABC News, citing a spokesman, reported that the office
would "respond through appropriate court filings."
Roman is one of 19 defendants charged with racketeering, which
is used to target members of organized crime groups and carries
a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and other charges in
Georgia in August.
The charges, which were brought by Willis, stem from Trump's
efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe
Biden.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|