ATLANTA – One of the defendants of former President Donald Trump The case of interference in Georgian elections Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade allegedly had a “romantic relationship,” according to a filing Monday.
In a 39-page filing seeking dismissal of the charges, an attorney for Trump accuser Michael Roman alleged that Willis and Wade traveled together and were seen in private around Atlanta, including in Napa Valley.
The filing offers no direct evidence to support the claims — citing only “sources with knowledge” and raising questions about the process by which Willis hired Wade, who represented the DA’s office in court proceedings in the case.
Attorney Ashleigh Merchant wrote: “The District Attorney has chosen to name his romantic partner, a married man, in connection with this charge at all times.”
The filing, which refers to Wade’s ongoing divorce proceedings, asks that Willis, Wade and the DA’s office be barred from prosecuting the case “because the district attorney and the special prosecutor engaged in an illegal, confidential personal relationship during the trial.” The stay of this case, which resulted in the special prosecutor and, in turn, the district attorney, getting a lot of profit from this criminal prosecution at the expense of the taxpayers.”
A spokeswoman for the DA’s office said the allegations would be answered in court and declined to comment further.
Reached for comment, Merchant addressed the lack of evidence in Monday’s filing, saying he could not share some until Wade’s divorce records were unsealed.
“Concrete evidence will be presented at the meeting. So when we get a hearing, there will be concrete evidence, and certainly that could come in the form of two members of the prosecution team,” he said, referring to potential testimony from Willis and Wade.
Merchant added that he has asked a Cobb County judge to unseal Wade’s divorce records.
Roman worked on Trump’s presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020. Along with the racketeering charge, he is accused of organizing “alternative voters” to vote for Trump after President Joe Biden won the 2020 election.
Four defendants in the case pleaded guilty, and Roman and Trump, who face 13 criminal cases he begged not guilty.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump referred to it Atlanta Journal-Constitution story On the presentation of the novel and aaccused Willis and Wade professional and financial discrepancies. Trump has regularly attacked Willis, as well as other prosecutors and judges in numerous cases before him.
Blayne Alexander and Charlie Gile reported from Atlanta and Zoë Richards from New York.
Jake Traylor contributed.