LIVE: Trump Georgia case hearing on district attorney Fani Willis misconduct claims

16 Feb 2024 (7 months ago)

Judge Wade and Judge Willis' Relationship

Judge Wade and Judge Willis first met at a judicial conference in October 2019.
They spoke on the phone two to three times in 2019, mostly about legal issues.
In 2020, they spoke more frequently, especially during her election campaign.
From January to November 2021, before Judge Wade was appointed to the DA's office, they spoke frequently on the phone.
Judge Wade submitted an affidavit alleging that Judge Willis paid for one flight, but he clarified that she covered her own flights and reimbursed him for his expenses.
Judge Wade used his business credit card to purchase all the vacations and did not include them as deductions on his taxes.
The only written proof Judge Wade has of a trip that Judge Willis paid for is the one receipt attached to the affidavit.
Their romantic relationship began in 2022 and ended in June 2023.
The relationship was kept private to avoid public attention.

Nathan Wade is in a divorce case and has filed several domestic relations financial affidavits.
He is being questioned about his income and expenses, including payments received from Fulton County.
Wade claims that he did not receive $300,000 from Fulton County in 2022, but rather a third of that amount, which was deposited into the law firm's operating account.
The checks from Fulton County were initially deposited into a joint operating account with Wade, Bradley, and Campbell, but after the dissolution of their partnership, the funds were deposited into Wade's personal account.
Wade denies ever using Bradley's credit card to pay for expenses with Ms. Willis and claims he has never used anyone else's credit card.
Wade receives income from his private practice and from his contract with Fulton County.
He estimates that 50% of his income in 2022 came from his work on the case or from his partners working for the Fulton County office.
Wade's contract was renewed on November 15, 2022, after his trip to Aruba with Willis.
Wade did not send any invoices for work done after his first contract expired.
Willis never reviewed Wade's invoices with him.
Wade never worked 24 hours in one day and billed for it.
The date on the invoices represents the date the work was completed, not when it started.

Diane Merchant is being cross-examined about her trips with DA Willis.
The defense attorney is trying to establish that Merchant has taken so many trips with Willis that she cannot accurately remember all the places they have been.
Merchant confirms that she took a trip to Aruba with Willis in 2022 and paid for it using her business credit card.
Willis paid Merchant back in cash for her share of the trip expenses.
Merchant also confirms that she paid for a cruise for herself, Willis, and her mother.
Merchant confirms that she signed a confidentiality agreement with the DA's office, but it does not prevent her from testifying in court.

In a court hearing, a man is being questioned about his extramarital sexual relationships and interactions with a woman named Miss Willis during the course of his marriage and the period of separation up to May 30, 2023.
The man initially answers "none" and "no" to the interrogatories, denying any sexual relationships or entertainment of Miss Willis outside of his marriage.
However, upon further questioning, it is revealed that he had indeed entertained Miss Willis on numerous occasions, including dining, drinking, and traveling together.
The man acknowledges that Miss Willis had also entertained him and that he had paid for a Royal Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas with her and his mother.
It is established that the man received cash payments from Miss Willis, specifically for the BCE trip that occurred in March 2023, which he claims were gifts for his birthday.
The man does not have any deposit slips or evidence to support his claims of receiving cash payments from Miss Willis, and he admits to carrying the cash around with him as spending money.
The man denies discussing the pleadings with Miss Willis, including the allegations concerning the benefits he bestowed upon her.