ATLANTA – Nathan Wade, the Georgia special prosecutor in charge of leading an election interference case against the former president donald trump and his allies, resigned following a ruling by the Fulton County judge overseeing the case over allegations of his emotional relationship with District Attorney Fani Willis, the official who hired him.
The fiscal district of Fulton County, Fani Willismust be separated from the case of electoral interference of Georgia against Donald trump or remove the special prosecutor with whom he had a romantic relationship before the case can proceed, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday.
The judge “did not find” that Willis' romantic relationship with her deputy, Special Prosecutor Wade, amounted to a “conflict of interest” that should force her to withdraw from the most extensive of the four criminal cases against the former president.
However, the judge said Willis can remain on the case only if Wade withdraws because of “an appearance of impropriety” that infected the prosecution team. The judge criticized Willis for a “tremendous†lapse in judgment and questioned the veracity of Willis and Wade's testimonies about the timing of their relationship.
Financial exchanges between prosecutors
Willis tried to convince the judge by stating that there was no personal relationship with Wade at the time he was hired in November 2021 as a special prosecutor, for which he has allegedly been paid more than $650,000, funds from the that prosecutor Willis would have allegedly benefited.
“As the case progresses, reasonable people could easily question whether the financial exchanges have continued to result in any kind of benefit to the district attorney, or even if the romantic relationship has resumedâ€the judge wrote.
“In other words, an outsider could reasonably believe that the prosecutor is not exercising her independent professional judgment completely free of compromising influences. As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist.â€
Reputation?
Although the judge gave Willis the option to remain on the case, the allegations threaten to damage his reputation and tarnish public perception of the prosecution. Trump and his allies have challenged Willis's credibility, while prosecutors trying to hold the former president accountable have come under fire for his misconduct.
For weeks, embarrassing headlines about romantic getaways, sex and large amounts of cash have consumed the coverage, turning the prosecution of a former president into a soap opera.
A spokesman for Willis did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment.
