A court motion filed on Monday claims that District Attorney Fani Willis engaged in improper hiring practices and financial benefits related to an alleged romantic partner The AJC reports. The motion argues that these actions render the indictment against Donald Trump unconstitutional.
A shocking public filing has claimed that special prosecutor Nathan Wade, a private attorney, used funds from Fulton County to finance extravagant vacations he took with Willis, raising serious concerns about his conduct. According to county records, Wade, who has been heavily involved in the election interference case, has received approximately $654,000 in legal fees since January 2022. The compensation of the DA is authorized.
A motion has been filed by defendant Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign official, requesting the dismissal of charges against him. Additionally, the motion seeks to disqualify Willis, Wade, and the entire DA’s office from further prosecution of the case.
Pallavi Bailey, a Willis spokeswoman, said the DA’s office will respond to Roman’s allegations “through appropriate court filings.” Wade did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The explosive issues raised in the filing have raised questions about the validity of the indictment against Trump and the remaining 14 co-defendants. Some have also raised concerns about Willis’ professional ethics, which has further complicated the matter.
The filing fails to provide any substantial evidence of a romantic connection between Willis and Wade. It simply mentions that “sources close to both the special prosecutor and the district attorney have confirmed they had an ongoing, personal relationship.”
There are allegations that Willis and Wade have been romantically involved prior to Wade’s appointment as special prosecutor. According to the report, they journeyed to Napa Valley and Florida as travel companions. Additionally, they enjoyed a Caribbean cruise, with Wade being responsible for acquiring the tickets from Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines. However, no supporting evidence of these purchases was provided in the filing.
The motion also raised concerns about the checks Wade received from Fulton County and how he used them to purchase vacations for Willis. These actions could potentially be considered as honest services fraud, a federal crime involving kickbacks given by a vendor to an employer. The motion stated that there is a possibility of prosecution under the federal racketeering statute.
Roman’s lawyer, Marietta attorney Ashleigh Merchant, wrote that the “motion is not filed lightly. Nor is it being filed without considerable forethought, research or investigation.”
But the issue had to be raised and must be heard because the issues “strike at the heart of fairness in our justice system and, if left unaddressed and unchecked, threaten to taint the entire prosecution of this case, invite error and completely undermine public confidence in any outcome in this proceeding.”
Willis and Wade, the motion contends, “have been engaged in an improper, clandestine personal relationship during the pendency of this case, which has resulted in the special prosecutor, and, in turn, the district attorney, profiting significantly from this prosecution at the expense of the taxpayers.”
According to the motion, Wade’s appointment is problematic because it did not receive the necessary approval from the Fulton board of commissioners, as mandated by law. The motion also raises concerns about Wade’s qualifications, arguing that he lacks experience in handling felony cases.
According to the motion, Wade signed his special prosecutor contract on November 1, 2021, which coincided with his divorce filing in Cobb County, just a day later.
According to the motion, Merchant stated that she thoroughly examined the divorce case file at the Superior Court Clerk’s Office and obtained copies of specific documents. However, the case file was later sealed without the necessary court hearing, as stated by the motion.
Due to the ongoing seal on the case, Merchant has decided to withhold the information she acquired from the divorce file until the seal is lifted. In addition, she mentioned her request for a judge to unseal the case file.
Roman’s recent filing brings up a previous allegation against Wade. It claims that Wade did not file his two oaths of office in court before working on the case, which could be seen as misrepresentation.
Judge Scott McAfee has previously dismissed that argument, asserting that the requirements do not extend to contractors handling individual cases. Furthermore, the defendants failed to demonstrate a constitutional violation or structural flaw in the grand jury process that would justify the outright dismissal of the case.
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