Fani Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, who is leading the prosecution of former President Donald Trump and 18 of his allies for election interference, has been subjected to racist abuse and unfounded accusations of misconduct.
Willis, who is the first Black woman to hold the position of DA in Fulton County, has received threats and insults from Trump supporters, who have used the word “riggers” as a thinly veiled slur against her and other election officials. Trump and his allies have repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen from him.
Willis has also been accused of having an improper romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, one of the special prosecutors she hired to assist her in the case against Trump and his co-defendants. The allegation was made by Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign staffer who is facing charges of racketeering and conspiracy for his role in the alleged scheme to overturn the election results in Georgia.
Roman’s lawyer, Ashleigh Merchant, filed a motion to dismiss the indictment and disqualify Willis, Wade and the entire DA’s office from the case, claiming that Willis and Wade had a conflict of interest and personally benefited from their relationship. The motion also alleged that Wade lacked the relevant experience and qualifications to handle a complex racketeering case, and that he used the taxpayer money he received as a special prosecutor to finance lavish vacations with Willis.
Willis has denied any wrongdoing and defended her decision to hire Wade and two other lawyers, a white man and a white woman, to help her with the case. She said that all three of them were paid the same hourly rate and had impeccable credentials and experience. She also suggested that the attacks on Wade were motivated by race, as he was the only one who was questioned and criticized.
Willis broke her silence on the matter on Sunday, during a speech at the Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Atlanta, where she celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day. She admitted that she was flawed and imperfect, but also said that she was proud of her work and her faith. She said that she was not afraid of the challenges and the enemies she faced, and that she was determined to seek justice and truth.
The case against Trump and his allies is the first of its kind in U.S. history, as no former president has ever been criminally charged for his actions while in office.
The indictment accuses Trump and his co-defendants of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) by conspiring to pressure and intimidate state officials, including Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, to overturn the election results in favor of Trump.
The case is expected to go to trial later this year.
