Fulton County prosecutor Nathan Wade withdraws from Trump case, allowing DA Fani Willis to continue

Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade has withdrawn from the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants.

Wade is out following an order by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee that said either he must go or District Attorney Fani Willis be disqualified from prosecuting Trump. Four co-defendants had accused Willis of having an "improper" affair with Wade, whom she hired to help prosecute the case.

Wade offered his resignation in a letter to Willis, saying he was doing so "in the interest of democracy."

"I am offering my resignation in the interest of democracy, in dedication to the American public, and to move this case forward as quickly as possible," Wade wrote in his resignation letter to Willis.

He added that he was proud of the work prosecutors had done in relation to the case.

In her letter to Wade in which she accepted his resignation, Willis complimented him on his "professionalism and dignity" as he had "endured threats against you and your family, as well as unjustified attacks in the media and in court on your reputation as a lawyer."

"I will always remember – and will remind everyone – that you were brave enough to step forward and take on the investigation and prosecution of the allegations that the defendants in this case engaged in a conspiracy to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election," Willis wrote. "You were the one who had the courage to accept the role, even though you did not seek it."

"You are an outstanding advocate," she added.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump said Wade resigned in "disgrace."

"Nathan was the ‘Special,’ in more ways than one, Prosecutor ‘engaged’ by Fani (pronounced Fauni!) Willis, to persecute TRUMP for Crooked Joe Biden and his Department of Injustice, for purposes of Election Interference and living the life of the Rich & Famous," he wrote. "This is the equivalent of Deranged Jack Smith getting ‘canned,’ BIG STUFF, something which should happen in the not too distant future!!!"

The defendants alleged that Willis benefited financially by hiring Wade in 2021 because they were in a pre-existing romantic relationship and went on several trips together. Michael Roman, a Republican operative who worked on Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, claimed Wade's law firm billed taxpayers $650,000 at a rate of $250 an hour since his hiring — and that he used that income to pay for vacations with Willis.

Both Wade and Willis had denied they were in a romantic relationship prior to his hiring. During a two-day evidentiary hearing in February, they each testified that they split the cost of their shared trips. Willis told the court she reimbursed Wade for her share of the trips in cash.

Roman's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, sought to unearth a money trail that would prove Willis had a conflict of interest in hiring Wade and should be disqualified. She called witnesses who testified that the couple were romantically entangled at the time Wade was hired.

Robin Yeartie, a former "good friend" of Willis and past employee at the DA's office, said she had "no doubt" that Wade and Willis started a relationship in 2019, after the two met at a conference.... (Read more)

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