Hearing on disqualification of D.A. Fani Willis from Trump Georgia 2020 election Case

Today, the Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is presiding over an evidentiary hearing to consider a motion to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office from prosecuting the 2020 election interference case in Georgia.

Basis of the motion

The motion is based on allegations of an improper romantic relationship between Willis and one of the top prosecutors working on the case, Nathan Wade.

Allegations made

The co-defendant, Michael Roman, a former Republican National Committee staffer, claims that Willis paid Wade over $650,000 for his work and received personal benefits in return, including trips and cruises.

Judge's decision

Judge McAfee has reserved ruling on whether Willis and Wade will be compelled to testify, stating that he will defer the decision until further into the hearing. He emphasized that the evidentiary hearing is necessary as the alleged facts could potentially lead to disqualification and to establish a clear record of the core allegations.

Issues under consideration

The issues under consideration include the existence, nature, timeline, and personal benefits of the alleged relationship.

Judge's statement on relevance

Additionally, McAfee has stated that the arguments regarding Wade's experience in handling racketeering cases, which have been raised by Roman's attorney, are not relevant to the motion to disqualify a prosecutor for a pending criminal case. The judge also mentioned that there have been no findings of violations of Fulton County case law code, which would be pertinent to a motion for disqualification.