On Friday, Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee decided that Fulton County Prosecutor Fani Willis may continue working on the Donald Trump case as long as Nathan Wade, a fellow prosecutor and former romantic partner, is either dismissed by Willis or chooses to resign voluntarily.
“The choice is likely to be an easy one: If Willis were to remove herself, the case would come to a halt, but having Wade leave will ensure the case continues without further delay,” NBC News reported.
McAfee discovered that the two ex-partners were merely involved in an “appearance of impropriety,” indicating that Willis should vacate her position if Wade is not taken off the case.
“[T]he prosecution is encumbered by an appearance of impropriety,” he wrote. “As the case moves forward, reasonable members of the public could easily be left to wonder whether the financial exchanges have continued resulting in some form of benefit to the District Attorney, or even whether the romantic relationship has resumed,” he continued. “As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist.”
McAfee determined that the previous romantic involvement between the two individuals did not result in any “real disagreement” that would require Willis to step down from the case, “Without sufficient evidence that the District Attorney acquired a personal stake in the prosecution, or that her financial arrangements had any impact on the case, the Defendants’ claims of an actual conflict must be denied.”
The judge found:
“This finding is by no means an indication that the Court condones this tremendous lapse in judgment or the unprofessional manner of the District Attorney’s testimony during the evidentiary hearing. Rather, it is the undersigned’s opinion that Georgia law does not permit the finding of an actual conflict for simply making bad choices — even repeatedly — and it is the trial court’s duty to confine itself to the relevant issues and applicable law properly brought before it.”
