Fani Willis in Georgia Overcoming Obstacles to Continue Pursuing Trump Case

There are renewed calls to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from a case involving accusations of inappropriate relationships with a special prosecutor she hired in connection with the 2020 election interference case in Georgia. Defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant alleged that Willis had an affair with the special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who lacks prosecutorial experience. There are allegations that Willis’ office paid Wade large sums of money, and that she benefited when Wade paid for vacations for both of them. Although there is no proof of this alleged relationship, Wade’s wife, in their divorce case, included credit card records showing that Wade purchased plane tickets for Willis for trips to Miami and San Francisco.

There are several options for removing Willis from the case, including Judge Scott McAfee taking the step to remove her and her office. It was previously done by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney in the special grand jury investigation related to the election case. Additionally, Willis could choose to recuse herself from the case, leaving it up to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia to find a replacement. There is also the possibility of an investigation by Georgia’s new Prosecuting Attorneys Qualification Commission and impeachment proceedings by the state’s General Assembly. The State Bar of Georgia also has the authority to get involved, potentially leading to disciplinary action for Willis. There are also consequences related to her use of county funds and potential violations of the county’s code of ethics. Ultimately, there may be legal or budget changes following any inquiry or investigation.