Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, embroiled in accusations of a covert affair with a special prosecutor she appointed to pursue charges against former President Donald Trump, finds herself under scrutiny for a 2020 promise not to engage romantically with her staff, reported the New York Post.
Willis, currently facing allegations of a clandestine relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor appointed in November 2021 for Trump's Georgia election interference case, had asserted during an April 2020 interview on "The Patricia Crayton Show" that she would refrain from dating her subordinates. This revelation comes amid a controversial decision to appoint Nathan Wade, who reportedly filed for divorce from his wife just a day after assuming the role.
"I will certainly not be choosing to date people that work under me," Willis declared during her appearance on the show, while campaigning for the district attorney position. She acknowledged the complexities of relationships and emphasized the community's concern about inappropriate contact with employees.
"There's nothing I can say on it other than that it is distracting. It is certainly inappropriate for the No. 1 law officer in this state, and it really really saddens me," she said, adding that it would be "very unfortunate if the taxpayers of this community have to pay for any of those lawsuits."
The controversy unfolded when Michael Roman, one of Trump's co-defendants in Willis' anti-racketeering case, filed a motion last week accusing Willis and Nathan Wade of an "improper" relationship. Roman alleged that Nathan Wade used a substantial portion of the almost $654,000 in legal fees he was paid by the district attorney's office to finance extravagant trips with Willis.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Nathan Wade's ex-wife, Joycelyn Wade, claimed that he attempted to seal their divorce records immediately after joining Willis' office.
In a filing on Friday, Joycelyn Wade asserted that she was unaware of her ex-husband's involvement in the Trump case or the income he derived from it, saying he left her with "little means of financial support."
Attorneys for Willis have filed a motion to exempt her from a Jan. 23 deposition in the Wade divorce case, asserting the lack of relevant testimony since their marriage effectively ended in 2017. Joycelyn Wade's legal team countered by challenging Willis' claim of the affair, citing earlier incidents of infidelity by Nathan Wade.
The Fulton County Board of Commissioners has initiated a probe into allegations of Willis misusing county funds and receiving "valuable gifts and personal benefits" from Nathan Wade. She has until Feb. 2 to respond to these inquiries.
Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., claimed in a letter to the Georgia State Bar that Willis pays Nathan Wade "78.57%" more than peers and expressed doubts about the prosecutor's qualifications for the case against Trump and his co-defendants, reported the Post.
Calling that "an exorbitant salary for someone who apparently has no experience in litigating" anti-racketeering cases, Mills stated, "Once again, there is a clear and compelling conclusion that can be drawn from this, if proven to be true: [Nathan] Wade was paid more because of his sexual relationship with the DA."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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