XPost: alt.sodomites.barack-obama, alt.california, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh
XPost: talk.politics.guns

Georgia district attorney Fani Willis continues to take media heat for allegations she had an "improper" romantic relationship with a prosecutor
that could taint the case she brought against former President Trump on election interference.

Court documents filed earlier this month say Willis, the D.A. of Fulton
County, hired special prosecutor Nathan Wade, her alleged romantic
partner, to help prosecute Trump and benefited financially from the relationship in the form of lavish vacations that the two went on using
funds his firm received for working the case.

Willis has not confirmed or denied the claim, but suggested she and Wade
are being scrutinized because of their race.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday published an analysis
headlined, "Lack of Willis response lets critics make hay in Trump probe,"
that said some state GOP leaders who were initially reluctant to
criticized her have changed their tune.

"The absence of a formal response from Fani Willis has left a vacuum
that’s allowed her biggest critics, including Trump, to run wild with
unchecked claims about the veteran prosecutor, her decision-making and the validity of the case," AJC reporters Tamar Hallerman and Greg Bluestein
wrote.

"Willis’ silence has provided an opening for Georgia’s most powerful Republicans, some of whom had previously offered a cautious defense of
Willis’ conduct, to change their tune — and open the door to a more formal rebuke," they added, noting that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called the
allegations "deep troubling."

Fulton County records show Wade has been paid nearly $654,000 in legal
fees since January 2022, an amount authorized by the district attorney, or Willis in this case.

Willis spoke out about the claims on Sunday at Atlanta’s Big Bethel AME
Church, claiming only the Black prosecutor she hired has faced scrutiny
while two White colleagues get a pass. But she failed to deny the
allegations and "her silence on those matters has fueled concerns among Democratic allies," according to Hallerman and Bluestein.

The liberal Daily Beast even published an opinion piece by Georgia
criminal defense attorney Andrew Fleischman, "Why we can’t just shrug off
the Fani Willis scandal," with the subhead, "If the DA prosecuting Trump prolonged an investigation to justify a hefty salary for a romantic
partner, that is a genuine conflict of interest that would require her dismissal."

Fleischman wrote there is "good reason" why Wade has been scrutinized and
the other two special prosecutors have not.

"The other two special prosecutors are incredibly qualified," Fleischman
wrote before calling Wade’s credentials "a bit of a sideshow."

"They are relevant only to suggest that there was a personal relationship between Willis and Wade. It certainly doesn’t help that Wade filed papers
to divorce his wife the day after Fani Willis hired him. But even if he
were indisputably the best person possible for the role, he was paid
$654,000, and Willis made choices throughout her prosecution that seem, in hindsight, calculated to require him," Fleischman wrote.

"The standard to disqualify Fulton County here is not whether Fani Willis actually made her decisions to benefit Nathan Wade. It’s plausible that
she would have made the exact same choices without the personal
relationship," Fleischman continued. "But if her choices to extend or
prolong the investigation benefit a romantic partner, who is paying for
her meals and vacations, that is an actual conflict."

Trump was indicted by Willis in August and pleaded not guilty to charges related to allegedly attempting to subvert the results of the 2020
presidential election in Georgia, including violation of Georgia's anti- racketeering law.

Trump’s co-defendant, Michael Roman, accused Willis and Wade of having an "improper" and "clandestine" affair at the same time appointments were
being made for the 2020 election interference case. Roman was a former
official on Trump’s 2020 campaign and argued about the integrity of the
case being compromised because of the affair, asking last week for the
charges against Roman to be dropped.

TOP TRUMP PROSECUTOR, GEORGIA DA ALLEGED TO BE IN ‘IMPROPER’ ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP: COURT FILING

The filing also calls for the entire district attorney's office, including Willis and Wade, to be disqualified from prosecuting the case.

Fleischman explained the next steps.

"Judge McAfee has stated his intention to hold a hearing in February to
look over the truth of these allegations. If they are true, the case will
not be dismissed, but it is likely that he will disqualify Fani Willis,
which, under Georgia law, will require disqualifying her entire office.
The case will then go to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia,
which will decide who the case can go on to next," he wrote.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/georgia-da-fani-willis-under-fire-alleged- relationship-scandal-could-tarnish-trump-case

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)