In Georgia, former President Trump is accused of attempted election fraud, but the headlines are currently being dominated by the public prosecutor in charge. It’s about a romantic relationship – and alleged personal gain.
In the trial against Donald Trump in the US state of Georgia, the focus is not only on the former president – the responsible public prosecutor, Fani Willis, is also confronted with allegations. Lawyers for a co-defendant – Trump’s former campaign aide Mike Roman – allege that she is in a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, one of the other prosecutors in the case.
Hearing scheduled for mid-February
According to Roman’s lawyers, both of them illegally benefited financially because of this relationship. They are therefore not only demanding that Wilis and Wade be removed from the case. They want all charges against their client to be dropped.
The judge responsible for the allegations, Scott McAfee, has scheduled a hearing for mid-February. Roman’s lawyers want to summon Willis and Wade to this meeting. As US media reported, they have now submitted the corresponding application. Neither Willis nor Wade have yet commented directly on the allegations. Judge McAfee gave them until February 2 to respond to the motion.
18 defendants alongside Donald Trump
Campaign worker Roman was charged as one of 18 other defendants alongside former President Trump over attempts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. The Republican had lost to Democrat Joe Biden at the time and tried in various ways to subsequently change the election result, including by putting pressure on political leaders at the federal level and in states such as Georgia.
Some of Trump’s former associates entered into a deal with prosecutors after the indictment and pleaded guilty. Meanwhile, prosecutor Willis is aiming for a quick start to the trial.
What’s wrong with the prosecutor’s flirtation?
It remains to be seen whether the so far unproven allegations against her and Wade can ultimately shake things up. But the matter is already attracting a lot of attention. The Washington Post and the New York Times, among others, have published research in recent weeks that suggests there could be something to the alleged romantic relationship. Willis in particular, who holds elected office as a Democrat, must now prepare for strong headwinds – investigations could be looming in the Republican-led Georgia legislature.
Willis has already been the victim of various verbal attacks from Trump’s camp in the past. The ex-president also repeatedly aims to undermine the prosecutor’s credibility. On the online platform Truth Social, which he co-founded, he recently portrayed the charges in Georgia as part of a political smear campaign, claiming that Willis and her “lover” were fraudsters.
New edition of the duel Trump vs. Biden
In the middle of his new presidential campaign, Trump is trying to delay the start of several legal proceedings against him as much as possible. Everything currently indicates that there will be a new duel between Trump and incumbent Biden this year.
