In a motion brimming with accusations, a defense lawyer targeted Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has been prosecuting former President Donald Trump and others for election interference in Georgia . The lawsuit, submitted by the defense counsel for one of Trump’s co-defendants, Mike Roman, claims Willis brought ‘her boyfriend’ as a special prosecutor to the team and made more than half a million dollars from this employment, per Raw story . The defense attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, states that there was a reason why she ‘waited (to file the motion).’ She explained, “I wanted all the goods. I wanted triple confirmation. I started investigating this in August, interviewing witnesses and making public record requests. I just wanted to see why there was a special prosecutor.”
Nathan Wade allegedly bills $250 per hour and has over $700,000 in fees, which means Wade is making a lot more money than Willis, whose pay is set by the county. “By comparison, his boss makes just $198,000,” the interview with Merchant in the Atlanta Journal-Constituition revealed.
Fani Willis responds to allegations 1. She hired three special counsels. All three, including Nathan Wade, were paid same hourly rate. 2. Wade was previously hired by an elected Republican official and paid twice the rate. Willis points to racial discrimination in criticisms. pic.twitter.com/rgMhTPjBFu
— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) January 15, 2024
“Willis has benefitted substantially and directly, and continues to benefit, from this litigation because Wade is being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to prosecute this case on her behalf,” the motion claimed. “In turn, Wade is taking Willis on, and paying for vacations across the world with money he is being paid by the Fulton County taxpayers and authorized solely by Willis.”
Rolling Stone claimed last week that Trump is allegedly looking for ‘more dirt’ on Willis. Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner thought Trump was using the attack as an additional means of attempting to prove his case outside of court and in public.
Within hours of announcing the death of his mother-in-law, Trump was on social media bragging about his endorsements, attacking “RADICAL, OUT OF CONTROL PROSECUTORS,” “CROOKED JOE BIDEN,” Nikki Haley, Fani Willis, CNN, and even Fox News. This is not a mentally well person.
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) January 10, 2024
Merchant is representing Roman, a political operator out of Philadelphia who directed Election Day activities for Trump during his 2020 campaign and is accused of seven crimes, per The Hill . Merchant claimed in court documents against Willis that “sources close to both [Wade] and the district attorney have confirmed they had an ongoing, personal relationship” but offered no concrete proof of these charges, per HuffPost .
We’re sick and tired of racist and sexist double standards. That’s why we’re calling on major media outlets to end the attacks against Fani Willis NOW. Join us: https://t.co/yWf0ZcFJoW pic.twitter.com/28Hio1ljzZ
— UltraViolet is not paying for this (@UltraViolet) September 20, 2023
Willis, who had otherwise remained quiet about these accusations, finally spoke up during a ceremony honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Big Bethel AME Church. “I appointed three special counselors. It’s my right to do. Paid them all the same hourly rate,” Willis told the church crowd. “They only attack one. I hired one white woman: a good personal friend and great lawyer, a superstar, I tell you. I hired one white man: brilliant, my friend, and a great lawyer. And I hired one Black man, another superstar, a great friend, and a great lawyer.”
For months, Willis has been the target of attacks from Trump and his team since August, who depicted her as a radical political operative and charged her with trying to rig the 2024 election by filing charges against the former President. Thirteen accusations were brought against Trump in his indictment for his attempts to rig Georgia’s 2020 election.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on January 15, 2024. It has since been updated.