Judge in Trump Georgia case orders hearing on Fani Willis misconduct
claims
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[January 19, 2024]
By Jack Queen
(Reuters) -A judge in the Georgia election interference case against
former U.S. President Donald Trump has set a hearing next month over
accusations that the Fulton County district attorney and a top deputy
had an improper relationship and mishandled public money, according to a
court filing.
In a Thursday order, Judge Scott McAfee set a Feb. 15 hearing to discuss
allegations by a Trump co-defendant who accused Fulton County District
Attorney Fani Willis of engaging in an "improper, clandestine personal
relationship," with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
The filing by Michael Roman cites unnamed sources and sealed records in
Wade's ongoing divorce case.
A representative for Willis did not immediately respond to a request for
comment. Willis' spokesperson previously said the district attorney's
office would respond to the accusations through court filings.
A lawyer for Willis said in a Thursday court filing in Wade's divorce
case that Wade's estranged wife, Joycelyn Wade, is using court documents
to "annoy, embarrass and oppress" Willis, the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution reported, citing a court document that the paper
posted online.
The records in that case are sealed, and Reuters could not obtain the
document.
Willis' lawyer could not be reached for comment, and Wade did not
immediately respond to a voicemail left with his office.
Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination,
is accused along with 18 co-defendants of seeking to overturn his 2020
election loss in the state to President Joe Biden.
Trump and Roman have both pleaded not guilty.
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Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald
Trump speaks on stage during a campaign rally ahead of the New
Hampshire primary election, in Atkinson, New Hampshire, U.S. January
16, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Roman's filing claims Wade, a private attorney appointed by Willis
to assist in the case, is not qualified for his role and been paid
roughly $1 million, citing invoices attached as exhibits.
Trump often uses his legal travails to rally supporters and raise
money for his campaign, denouncing the four criminal cases he faces
as political witch hunts.
While he has not yet moved to disqualify Wallis, Trump will almost
certainly cite the misconduct allegations as he seeks to discredit
the case.
It would not end the case if McAfee disqualifies Willis, though it
could lead to delays that might be helpful for Trump.
“They would probably appoint another prosecutor from a different
county, so it wouldn’t mean the case is thrown out,” said Jerry
Froelich, a Georgia criminal defense attorney who is not involved in
the case.
Trump has separately been indicted in Washington for his efforts to
reverse his election loss, in Florida for mishandling of classified
documents upon leaving office and in New York for hush money
payments to a porn star.
He has pleaded not guilty in all of those cases.
(Reporting by Jack Queen in Ketchum, Idaho; Additional reporting by
Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Susan Heavey, Lisa Shumaker
and Noeleen Walder)
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