When DA Fani Willis Claimed, Affair Allegations With Trump Prosecutor Nathan Wade Are Rooted In Racism

Fani Willis, the District Attorney of Fulton County, finally addressed allegations of an affair with co-prosecutor Nathan Wade (in the Georgia case against former President Donald Trump), according to the New York Post.

The accusations emerged in a surprising court filing by one of Trump's co-defendants, suggesting that Wade, a special prosecutor assisting Willis's office, was involved in a romantic affair with her. Meanwhile, Willis recently broke her silence on the matter, asserting that the controversy targeting her and the prosecutor was rooted in racial discrimination against them as they are both black.

In a speech delivered on Sunday at the Big Bethel AME Church before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Willis did not directly tackle the accusations of an inappropriate relationship with Wade. However, she vehemently refuted any suggestions that her actions in hiring Wade were improper.

According to The Hill, she said, "I’m a little confused. I appointed three special counselors. It’s my right to do, pay them all the same hourly rate. They only attack one." She added, “I hired one white woman, a good personal friend and a 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.”

Yet, throughout her speech, which lasted over 30 minutes, she never referred to him by name. While defending the lawyer's exceptional qualifications, Willis also hinted that the accusations against both her, a Black woman, and Wade, a Black man, might have been fueled by racial intentions.

She said, “God, isn’t it them who’s playing the race card when they only question one? They’re playing the race card when they constantly think I need someone from some other jurisdiction in some other state to tell me how to do a job I’ve [done] almost 30 years.”

In her address, Willis highlighted that the remaining two prosecutors assigned to the case, Anna Green Cross and John Floyd, are both white. She underscored the fact that the allegations only surfaced concerning the two prominent Black members of the prosecution, herself and Wade.

Notably, the accuser, Michael Roman, a former Trump 2020 campaign official, asserted in a recent court filing that their alleged affair compromised the integrity of the case and urged for the dismissal of all charges against him.

Moreover, in her speech, Willis detailed the emotional toll of the accusations, referring to the past few days as a low point that led her to compose a letter to God. She said, "Dear God, I do not want to be like those that attacked me. I never want to be a Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has never met me but has allowed her spirit to be filled with hate. How does this woman, who has the honor of being a leader in my state, how is it that she has not reached out to me?” Furthermore, Willis intends to submit an official reply to the allegations, as confirmed by her spokesperson.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 15, 2024. It has since been updated.