What We’re Learning About Fani Willis At The Hearing To Disqualify DA From Trump’s RICO Case

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis takes the stand as a witness during a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse on February 15, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. | Source: Pool / Getty

The partisan quest to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting the sweeping RICO case against Donald Trump for allegedly plotting to illegally overturn the 2020 election in Georgia reached a fever pitch on Thursday during a hearing in Atlanta.

In the process of Willis being compelled to testify under oath about allegations that she benefited financially from a former romantic relationship with Nathan Wade — whom she ultimately hired to help prosecute the case — several previously unknown things about the Fulton County District Attorney were revealed.

Those allegations, which were filed in court last month by former Trump campaign official Michael Roman — who is accused of using fake electors to prevent Joe Biden’s presidential election from being certified — include an accusation that Willis paid Wade more than $650,000 in taxpayer money to be a special prosecutor in the case despite him lacking the “relevant experience” needed to prosecute a high-profile RICO case like this one.

The hearing continues on Friday and the judge is expected to make his ruling as soon as next week to determine if Willis and Wade can continue working in their capacities.

Judge Scott McAfee also previously suggested his ruling could also effectively upend the case and possibly get it even dismissed, making this week’s hearing especially consequential in what is effectively a career case for Wade and Willis.

Here are a few new things we learned about Willis during the hearing.

Robin Yeartie. | Source: Screenshot

Willis’ former ‘best friend’ testifies

Before Willis testified, one of her former “best” friends seemingly threw her under the bus with testimony that contradicted the previous dates when Willis and Wade said their relationship began. Robin Yeartie, who appeared to be disgruntled, said she had “no doubt” about the timeline of when Willis and Wade met at a conference in 2019 in testimony that played right into the hands of Roman’s defense attorneys. Yeartie said she used to work in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office until an unspecified incident happened and she quit before she was fired.

Willis and Wade previously said under oath that their relationship began in 2022.

Over that period, including after Willis selected Wade to prosecute the RICO case, Wade and Willis took multiple trips together described as vacations that Roman’s complaint argues are tantamount to a financial conflict of interest.

Willis testified that Yeartie “betrayed our friendship.”

Fulton County Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade testifies during a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse on February 15, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. | Source: Pool / Getty

Willis keeps a lot of cash wherever she ‘lays her head’

On the topic of a financial conflict of interest, Willis testified that she paid her own way on every trip she took with Wade and reimbursed Wade in cash. Willis said she paid Wade cash for — and sometimes during — trips to places like Belize, Aruba, Miami and California.

The topic of cash came up as defense attorneys went on a “fishing expedition” to find any receipts or documentation of Willis reimbursing Wade — of which there is none.

“For many many years, I’ve kept money in my house,” Willis testified, adding that she has followed her father’s advice to always keep at least six months of salary in cash “wherever I lay my head.”

Defense attorneys present their case. | Source: Pool / Getty

Willis prefers vodka to wine

In a brief moment of levity during what was otherwise a tense day of testimony, Willis described a trip she and Wade took to northern California.

Under aggressive questioning by attorney Ashleigh Merchant, Willis recounted a wine-tasting tour in Napa Valley in which she and Wade also indulged in caviar, champagne and chocolate. But Willis suggested that trip was more for Wade, who “likes wine,” she said.

“I don’t really like wine to be honest with you,” Willis added. “I like Grey Goose.”

Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee looks on during a hearing in the case of State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse on February 15, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. | Source: Pool / Getty

Willis has no time for ‘lies’

When Willis took the stand, she said she “ran” from her officer upstairs to the courtroom because she has “been very eager” to respond to the “dishonest” claims being made by defense attorneys.

Willis told Merchant that she found it to be “extremely offensive” that defense attorneys tried to imply she and Wade had romantic relations on the first day they met.

“You’ve been intrusive into people’s personal lives. You’re confused,” Willis told Merchant before accurately adding later: “You think I’m on trial. These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. I’m not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial.”

This complaint has no real bearing on the RICO case

Whether Wade and Willis are disqualified from the RICO case doesn’t mean the merits of the indictments have been compromised in the least. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, as Elie Mystal of the Nation eloquently explained in a column from last month:

The whole thing looks awful, but Willis represents the state of Georgia—she is not the state of Georgia. If she and Wade were kicked off the case or eloped to Fiji or quit to star in the next season of Love Island, the state of Georgia would still have a case. Remember, this is a case where multiple people—including Sidney Powell, Ken Chesboro, and Jenna Ellis—have already pleaded guilty. Prosecutions go on even after the prosecutors who started them are exposed to be corrupt individuals unworthy of the public trust. If every criminal trial stopped because a prosecutor was throwing money to some a bit on the side, we’d have to open the jails and free a whole bunch of people.

The hearing continues on Friday.

This is a developing article that will be updated as additional information becomes available.

SEE ALSO:

Mike Roman, Trump Co-Defendant Behind Fani Willis Complaint, Struggling To Raise Money For Legal Fees

Fani Willis Allegations Follow MAGA Pattern Of Accusing Black People Without Any Evidence

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