Fani Willis accuses wife of special prosecutor of interference in Trump case

Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis alleged in a court filing that the wife of her special prosecutor in the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump is attempting to interfere in the case.

Willis wrote in the filing Thursday that Joycelyn Wade had "conspired" with Trump defendant Mike Roman to get his charges dismissed by alleging Willis was engaged in an improper romantic relationship with her estranged husband, Nathan Wade, and that they illegally enriched themselves by naming him as a special prosecutor.

Cinque Axam, an attorney for Willis, also called on a judge to quash a subpoena delivered to the district attorney, calling her to give pretrial deposition in the couple's divorce case, alleging she had used the civil discovery process "to annoy, embarrass and oppress" Willis.

Willis said in court documents that there is no need for her to be deposed in the Wades' divorce proceedings, especially since both have agreed that the marriage was "irretrievably broken" in 2021.

"Indeed, the deposition of District Attorney Fani T. Willis cannot provide unique personal knowledge of any matter that is relevant to defendant Wade's divorce," the motion said.

It added that the timing of the case filings seemed "conspicuously coordinated" with Roman as she was served a subpoena the same day Roman's filing was made public and his attorney moved to unseal the divorce case.

"Defendant Joycelyn Wade has not objected to Michael Roman's motion to unseal the proceedings despite having previously sought it and having benefitted from its protection for more than two years," the filing stated.

Roman, an associate of former President Donald Trump who has been indicted in the Georgia election interference case, filed a motion, claiming that his charges should be dropped, along with Willis and Wade removed from any further proceedings.

Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee, who is overseeing the Trump election interference cases, scheduled a hearing Feb. 15 to address Roman's misconduct allegations against Willis and Wade.

Roman's attorney Ashleigh Merchant said Willis should have nothing to fear in answering questions about her relationship with Nathan Wade if naming him as a special prosecutor was based on qualifications.

"Ms. Willis alleges that her deposition is being sought in an attempt to harass and damage her reputation," Merchant told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Why would her truthful testimony risk damaging her reputation?

"We believe her filing in Cobb County is just another attempt to avoid having to directly answer the important questions Mr. Roman has raised. She appears to be doing everything she can to avoid having to account for inconvenient and difficult facts."