Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis seemingly lost her mind when she took the stand on Thursday to deliver testimony during a hearing that would determine whether or not she would be disqualified from overseeing the prosecution of former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election interference case brought against him and several other defendants. So bad was her meltdown she actually snapped at Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee who is presiding over the hearing.
Yeah, that’s not a good look. Especially when earlier that morning news broke that, contrary to what she said in court, Willis actually started a relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she appointed to the case despite his lack of experience, back in 2019, well before this case ever came about. That means she lied under oath and could potentially end up serving 5 years in prison. Guess you could say she’s having a rough week.
Willis is currently accused of benefiting financially for hiring her lover for the case.
Here’s more from The Western Journal:
The New York Post reported last month that Wade received $250 per hour. The payments to his law office in 2022 and 2023 totaled about $653,880, according to WXIA-TV.
Wade and Willis took lavish personal trips together to such places as Belize, Aruba and California’s Napa Valley. Both testified that they split expenses on the trips. Wade said he paid for all the vacations on his business card, and both he and Willis told the court that she then paid him back in cash for her portion of the trips.
Wade further stated that there were no records of him depositing the money she gave him. Willis said she did not have records of withdrawing the cash either because it was from money she kept at her home.
Willis and Wade stated in court filings that they did not begin a romantic relationship until 2022, which would be after he was hired to work the case back in November 2021. A former friend of Willis’ who also used to work for her, Robin Yeartie, testified in court on Thursday that the two started dating each other after they met during a conference held in October 2019.
Willis was not actually scheduled to offer testimony on Thursday, however, after Wade gave his before the court she made a “surprise” appearance in the courtroom and then proceeded to take the witness stand. This was probably a mistake, one she should have known better than to make being a legal professional, but hey, it’s a good thing for Trump.
Willis became particularly agitated during questioning by Ashleigh Merchant, an attorney for one of the defendants in the election interference case, who filed a motion to have the district attorney and Wade disqualified from prosecuting the case.
“I’ve been very anxious to have this conversation with you today, so I ran to the courtroom,” Willis kicked things off, an edgy tone to her voice. She quickly accused Merchant of lying about her, saying, “I’m actually surprised that the hearing continued, but since it did, here I am.”
At one point during the questioning, Judge McAfee told Willis she should probably keep her answers only to the specific questions being asked. He began to explain to her that she’ll be given an opportunity to provide a fuller explanation when she is questioned by Fulton County attorneys.
And this is when Willis really screwed up. She interrupted the judge and said, “Well, it’s highly offensive when someone lies on you. And it’s highly offensive when they try to implicate that you slept with somebody the first day you met with them, and I take exception to it.”
District Attorney Fani Willis took the stand Thursday in the Fulton County misconduct hearing and began her testimony by slamming the allegations against her: "It's highly offensive when someone lies on you."
LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/zGh2vilGPw pic.twitter.com/FsCKFg5R21
— ABC News (@ABC) February 15, 2024
“I’m gonna have to caution this. … Listen to the questions as asked. And if this happens again and again, I’m gonna have no choice but to strike your testimony,” the judge responded.
JUDGE TO FANI WILLIS: “I'm gonna have to caution this… Listen to the questions as asked. If this happens again and again, I'm gonna have no choice but to strike your testimony.” pic.twitter.com/ehav83LN8I
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) February 16, 2024
Merchant stated that Willis and Wade cohabited and that is one reason why she should be disqualified from the case.
When asked by Merchant whether Wade would ever stay at her condo or visited her there, Willis responded, “So let’s be clear, ’cause you’ve lied in this. Let me tell you which one you lied in. Right here. I think you lied right here,” as she held up three documents.
You can then hear someone speaking off-camera. Willis then exploded, saying “No, no, no, no, this is the truth! It is a lie! It is a lie!”
McAfee then stepped in and ordered everyone to take a five minute break.
CROSS EXAMINER: "Has Nathan Wade ever visited you at a place you laid your head?"
FANI WILLIS: "IT IS A LIE! IT IS A LIE!"🤬
JUDGE: "Let's take 5." pic.twitter.com/A5ofvioU68
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 15, 2024
Willis is scheduled to make a return to the witness stand on Friday, but Fulton County attorneys told Judge McAfee that further testimony was not needed from her. Ouch. What a colossal and costly mistake she just made, all because she acted out of emotion.
I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I’d say she’s disqualified.
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