House Republican Matt Gaetz has called for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to step down from former President Donald Trump's Georgia election interference case and "be investigated for her misconduct and impropriety."
It follows accusations that Willis engaged in an inappropriate romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, who was hired as special prosecutor in Trump's case, producing a conflict of interest.
"Fani Willis awarded her married paramour a prosecutorial contract then used the money for personal lavish expenses," Gaetz told Newsweek. "The least she should do is step down from the case and be investigated for her misconduct and impropriety."
Newsweek reached out to Willis via email to Fulton County outside of normal business hours. This article will be updated if she provides comment.
Willis has not commented on the specific accusations against her, but during a speech on January 14, she vigorously defended Wade, whom she called "a great lawyer," and questioned whether criticism directed at him was racially motivated.
The claim that Willis was involved in an inappropriate relationship with Wade was first made by the legal team of Michael Roman, one of Trump's co-defendants, with the former president's attorneys later joining a motion seeking to have her disqualified from the case.
Wade paid for at least two trips with Willis as his companion after he was appointed special prosecutor for Trump's case, according to credit card statements released as part of his divorce case.
On October 4, 2022, he paid for himself and Willis to fly from Atlanta to Miami, then on the same day purchased two tickets with Royal Caribbean Cruises costing $1,284 and $1,387. Then on April 25, 2023, Wade paid for himself and Willis to fly from Atlanta to San Francisco, before two purchases for $612 and $228 at the Doubletree hotel in Napa Valley, California, on May 14.
According to court documents reviewed by The Hill, Wade was paid $654,000 related to his work on Trump's case.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 13 charges in the Georgia case related to allegations he broke the law while trying to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat in the state. He has denied any wrongdoing and insisted the case, and a separate federal election interference case, are part of a politically motivated "witch hunt."
The Republican-controlled Georgia Senate voted 30-19 on January 26 to form a special committee to investigate Willis' conduct, though it doesn't have the power to sanction her directly.
Appearing on Fox News, Phil Holloway, an attorney and legal analyst, said the accusations against Willis could lead to the Georgia case against Trump being dismissed.
"If it can be proven she violated the Constitution in the way of substitute due process claims, that she was fundamentally unfair in how she carried out her prosecutorial duties, then that could result in a dismissal [of the case]," he said.
"It would be a question if she gets recused, then her whole office has to be recused. If she's got a conflict of interest, everybody who works for her has that same conflict of interest. So the prosecuting attorney's counsel here in Georgia or the attorney general's office may have to sort out who in the state of Georgia, if anyone, wants this."
On Thursday CNN reported that Willis has no plans to step down from the case, citing sources in the Fulton County District Attorney's Office.
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James Bickerton is a Newsweek U.S. News reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is covering U.S. politics and world ... Read more
