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(Daily Caller)—Allegations about District Attorney Fani Willis’ “improper” relationship with the special prosecutor could have serious ramifications for her racketeering case against former President Donald Trump, legal experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The attorney for a Trump co-defendant filed a motion Monday alleging Willis not only hired the man she was romantically involved with, Nathan Wade, as special prosecutor in her racketeering case against Trump, but also signed off on “lucrative” compensation that exceeded her own salary, which Wade in turn used to finance cruises and vacations he took with Willis. The allegations are serious and could potentially undermine the case, legal experts told the DCNF.
“The motion paints a picture of a prosecution that has a structural problem,” Georgia-based criminal defense attorney and legal analyst Philip Holloway told the DCNF. “It’s basically built upon using a special prosecutor who, if this turns out to be true, was not appointed and hired, if you will, in the correct legal way.”
Willis, who allegedly did not obtain permission from Fulton County to hire a special prosecutor, used funds she lobbied for to clear a backlog of cases that stacked up during Covid to contract with Wade, according to the filing made on behalf of co-defendant Michael Roman.
“When you put all this together, it amounts to a bad faith use of her authority as district attorney,” Holloway told the Daily Caller News Foundation, adding this could culminate in a due process violation that “will justify not only disqualifying her, but potentially having the entire case dismissed.”
Regardless, Holloway said it could take months for the process to play out and “certainly is going to kick the case out, to a minimum, sometime in 2025.”
Wade has been paid nearly $1,000,000 in legal fees since he was appointed, according to the motion.
The motion alleges the couple traveled to such places as Napa Valley, California, Florida and the Caribbean. Wade also allegedly “purchased tickets for both of them to travel on both the [Norwegian] and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.”
“If true, this would not only be a gross display of unethical conduct and horrific professional judgment, but it would also subject Ms. Willis to potential criminal charges of receiving kickbacks from a paid contractor and theft of honest services,” John Malcolm, vice president for the Heritage Foundation’s Institute for Constitutional Government and former deputy assistant attorney general in the DOJ’s Criminal Division, told the DCNF. “If the court’s inquiry substantiates these allegations, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office should be disqualified from continuing its involvement in the case and the matter should be referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for possible prosecution and to the Georgia Bar for disciplinary proceedings.”
Emory University School of Law Professor Jonathan Nash told the DCNF that it is “premature to say where this might lead.”
“For one thing, the motion provides no actual evidence of either an inappropriate personal relationship between Willis and Wade, or any improper financial relationship,” he said.
“The issues raised in Michael Roman’s motion are serious, and Scott McAfee – the Fulton County Superior Court Judge assigned to the case – should conduct a thorough inquiry,” Malcolm said.
The filing does not provide concrete evidence, instead stating that “sources close to both the special prosecutor and the district attorney have confirmed they had an ongoing, personal relationship.” Ashleigh Merchant, Roman’s lawyer, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she reviewed the case file for Wade’s divorce proceedings, which the motion explains were later sealed.
A spokesperson for Willis told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday that the district attorney will answer the allegations “through appropriate court filings.”
Ultimately, the allegations necessitate a hearing before McAfee, where Merchant will have to prove the motion’s claims, Holloway said. “I’ve known this lawyer for at least 20 years, and she is known to be very thorough,” he told the DCNF.
Willis’ personal entanglements are just one piece of the puzzle. Wade’s billing statements included in the motion reference two meetings with Biden’s White House before the indictment.
If nothing else, this adds “gasoline to the fire” accusing Willis of prosecuting the former president for partisan reasons, Holloway told the DCNF.
The House Judiciary Committee launched an investigation into Willis in August to determine whether she coordinated with Biden’s Department of Justice when bringing charges against Trump. Willis shot back in a September letter to Chairman Jim Jordan that his intrusion into Georgia’s sovereignty is “offensive and will not stand,” claiming he “lack[s] a basic understanding of the law.”
“We are aware of these damning allegations and are looking into all avenues as to what comes next,” Russell Dye, spokesperson for Jordan, told the DCNF.
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Mysterious “Skyquakes” Are Causing Strange “Booms” in the Sky, and Scientists Have No Explanation
by Michael Snyder
(End of the American Dream)—What is causing the extremely loud “booms” that people are hearing in the sky all over the world? We are being told that “skyquakes” are responsible, but scientists have no idea why these “skyquakes” are occurring. In some cases, the “skyquakes” cause such powerful shaking that…
The Biggest Sale on Long-Term Storage Beef EVER
by Sponsored Post
Let’s cut to the chase. Prepper All-Naturals is offering an unprecedented 40% off for it’s “Beef Steak” survival bags with promo code “steak40”. With a 25-year shelf life and a single ingredient (beef, of course), our most popular product is available for a very limited time with the biggest discount…
Seattle Is Ordered to Stop Blocking Illegal Alien Deportations in the Most Hilarious Court Decision Ever
by PJ Media
A federal court has just pooped in the oatmeal of the West Coast, Messed Coast™governors and local election officials suffering from acute cases of Trump Derangement Syndrome who think they can stop illegal alien deportations. And after this hilarious and thorough legal takedown from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals,…
Illegal Alien Terror Suspect Found Dead in Cook County Jail Cell
by Slay News
An Islamic illegal alien has been found dead in his jail cell after being arrested on terrorism charges. According to CWBChicago, 22-year-old Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi was found dead at the Cook County jail in Illinois on Saturday. Abdallahi was arrested on felony terrorism and hate crime charges in October. He…
Trump’s Wild Bunch Is Ready for Action
by Frank Miele
If for no other reason than that it will elicit fear in the hearts of autocracy-phobics, I propose that Donald Trump’s second-term Cabinet be known as “The Wild Bunch.” The name is best known as the title of Sam Peckinpah’s classic 1969 western featuring a colorful cast of aging outlaws…
FAA Issues Flight Restrictions Over Questionable Drone Activity Near Trump’s Bedminster Golf Course
by Just The News
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday said that it has issued two flight restrictions on the area surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club in New Jersey, following questionable drone activity. The drone sightings were first reported on Nov. 18, but have continued into this week, according to Fox…
Ex-FBI Agent Convicted for Stealing From Jan 6 Defendant During Raid
by Trending Politics
A former Houston-based FBI agent has been convicted of stealing valuables and cash while conducting searches. In one instance, the agent stole cash and silver bars from a non-violent January 6 defendant’s home. Nicholas Anthony Williams, 36, was indicted on January 31 in the Southern District of Texas. Williams, who…
Democrats, Media Elite Urge Biden to Pardon Trump’s Alleged ‘Enemies List’
by Breitbart
President Joe Biden should issue preemptive pardons to his political allies and those deemed to be on President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged “enemies list,” Democrats and their media allies believe. Delivering a preemptive pardon indicates an admission of guilt, although Democrats claim a preemptive pardon would only be intended to block…
Fani Willis Forced to Release All Communications With Jack Smith, J6 Committee
by Trending Politics
The Fulton County Superior Court has ruled against District Attorney Fani Willis, ordering her to disclose communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee. The decision, announced on Tuesday, follows a lawsuit brought by Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, which accused Willis of violating Georgia’s…
Lindsey Graham Is the Warmongering NeoCon Leading the Charge to Upend Pete Hegseth
by JD Rucker
Pete Hegseth represents a shift away from the wokeness that has infected the United States military. This is possibly the biggest reason President-Elect Donald Trump tapped him to be the next Secretary of Defense and the vast majority of Republicans on Capitol Hill can support this, at least for the…
‘Where Are Black Democrats?’: Charles Payne Tells Personal Story to Call Out ‘Huge Double Standard’ of Biden Family
by Nicole Silverio, DCNF
(DCNF)—Fox Business host Charles Payne called out the alleged “huge double standard” of President Joe Biden’s family Tuesday by revealing that his brother, who struggles with a crack addiction, is currently serving a jail sentence. Payne said his brother, who is getting out of jail on Friday, is likely one…
Zelensky Admits Ukraine Can’t Retake All Its Land: ‘We Must Seek Diplomatic Means’
by Breitbart
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conceded in an interview on Tuesday that Ukraine does not have “enough forces” to restore sovereignty over Russian-occupied Crimea and “must seek diplomatic means” to end the Russian invasion and regain its land. The state-run Ukrinform outlet reported that Zelensky described Crimea – which Russia colonized…
Ultra-Processed Foods: How Bad Are They for Your Health?
by Olivia Cook
(Natural News)—Despite the serious health risks associated with eating junk food, they remain the most consumed food products in many countries, particularly developed ones. But a review published in The BMJ, which studied 9.8 million people, warns that eating a lot of ultra-processed foods can increase your risk for 32 diseases. Among these are heart…
“Already Pretty Far Down the Line”: The Container Store Could File for Bankruptcy as Soon as Next Year
by Tyler Durden, Zero Hedge
(Zero Hedge)—As the retail apocalypse that started with Amazon and e-commerce continues, the latest victim is The Container Store. The retail giant could file for bankruptcy as soon as next year, according to the New York Post, who said the retailer is blaming its recent descent on “a weak housing…
Mysterious ‘Car-Sized Drones’ Over New Jersey Prompt FBI Investigation
by Zero Hedge
Several weeks of mysterious drone swarms over the skies of one New Jersey county near the military research and manufacturing facility Picatinny Arsenal have sparked concerns among residents and prompted an FBI investigation. “It’s kind of unsettling,” Mike Walsh, a Morris County resident who has spotted the drones on numerous…
UNESCO’s New Mission: Train Influencers About Combatting Online “Misinformation”
by Reclaim the Net
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is now incorporating teaching influencers how to “fact check” into its activities. UNESCO claims that influencers have become “primary sources of news and cultural information” around the world – which prompted it to carry out a survey into how these online personalities…
