On Thursday, Georgia District Attorney Fannie Willis, who was in charge of investigating Donald Trump’s alleged election interference, took the oath and testified to reassure everyone that her office was fair and impartial despite claims of financial conflicts.
Willis herself took the stand after prosecutors spent hours rebutting defense claims that her previous relationship with Nathan Wade, a senior lawyer in her office, had muddied her motives in the high-profile Trump case.
“I look forward to talking to you here today,” Willis said, accusing the defense attorney of lying about allegations of financial impropriety.
Trump’s lawyers say Willis should be removed as chief prosecutor because she dated Wade while she was paid by his office.
She says Wade paid for the vacation, so Willis indirectly got some money from Trump after he took office.
On Thursday, Wade said he did not pay for the trips to Belize, Aruba and California and noted that Willis always took care of his expenses.
Wade noted that she always insisted on pulling her own weight, noting that she had booked early.
A former friend of Willis stepped forward to challenge the deadlines given by the DA and Wade regarding their past connections, a major blow to prosecutors.
Robin Arty said that when Wade joined the team after Trump in early 2021, they were still dating.
Willis and Wade said they actually separated in late 2020, before they began working on the Trump investigation.
If the defense’s arguments work, the entire prosecution team could be thrown out and replaced by outside lawyers.
The hearing in Atlanta comes as Trump deals with more and more legal troubles from various angles in his 2023 campaign.
The same day in New York, a judge scheduled a hearing for March 25 to address tax fraud charges linked to Trump’s alleged use of hush money payments.
The former president is also dealing with a Justice Department special counsel investigation into the January 6 Capitol attack and his possession of classified documents after he left office.
The investigation that is getting bigger and the lawsuit that is underway will coincide with Trump’s new 2024 White House campaign.
With the possibility of facing criminal charges or even going to jail, the investigation is beginning to seem like a big unknown factor that could confound Trump’s political goals.