Fani Willis hits back at misconduct claims that threaten future of Trump case
- A witness says the DA started dating lawyer Nathan Wade before she hired him for the Georgia election interference case, contradicting their accounts
- Willis, who is accused of personally benefiting from the relationship with Wade, is fighting a bid to remove her from the case against the ex-US president
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis entered the witness box on Thursday and forcefully pushed back against what she described as “lies” about her romantic relationship with a special prosecutor during an extraordinary hearing over misconduct allegations that threaten to upend one of four criminal cases against Donald Trump.
A visibly upset Willis, who originally fought not to testify, agreed to speak after a previous witness said her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade began earlier than they had claimed.
The district attorney’s testimony grew heated under questioning from a defence lawyer who is trying to remove Willis from Trump’s 2020 election interference case, with the prosecutor at one point raising papers in front of her and shouting: “It’s a lie!”
“Do you think I’m on trial? These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. I’m not on trial no matter how hard you try to put me on trial,” Willis told defence lawyer Ashleigh Merchant. At another point, Willis said, “Merchant’s interests are contrary to democracy.”
Willis is expected to return to the witness box on Friday to continue answer questions.
