Former U.S. attorney Michael Moore has accused Georgia district attorney Fani Willis of using race as a shield to defend herself amid scandal. Willis, who is currently prosecuting former President Trump for election interference, has been subpoenaed to give a pretrial deposition in the divorce case of special prosecutor Nathan Wade and his estranged wife. In response, Willis argues that the subpoena is an attempt to interfere with the ongoing criminal case against Trump.
Willis’ attorney, Cinque Axam, claims that the attempt to question Willis is obstructing and interfering with the prosecution of Trump. However, Joycelyn Wade’s lawyer, Andrea Hastings, states that they simply want to resolve her divorce fairly and privately, and any response to Willis’ motion will come in a filing with the court.
The accusations against Willis and Wade stem from a court filing by Trump codefendant Michael Roman’s lawyer, Ashleigh Merchant. While no evidence of an improper relationship has been provided, Merchant alleges that Willis benefited financially from the relationship in the form of lavish vacations paid for by funds received for working on the case. County records show that Wade has been paid nearly $654,000 in legal fees since January 2022, a sum authorized by Willis.
Willis has neither confirmed nor denied the alleged relationship but has suggested that she and Wade are being scrutinized because they are Black. In a recent speech at a church service, Willis stated, “They only attacked one. First thing they say, ‘Oh, she’s gonna play the race card now.’ But no, God, isn’t it them that’s playing the race card when they only question one?”
Willis’ attorney argues that Nathan and Joycelyn Wade have been separated for over two years and are going through an uncontested no-fault divorce, making any questioning of Willis unnecessary. However, Merchant, citing sources close to both prosecutors, defends her motion, stating that she would not have filed it without multiple corroborating sources.
The case against Trump, Roman, and 17 others was brought by a Fulton County grand jury in August and accuses them of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Four individuals have already admitted guilt in plea deals with prosecutors, while Trump, Roman, and the remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty. Trump has called for the case to be dropped due to the alleged misconduct of Willis.
The upcoming hearing on Merchant’s motion is scheduled for February 15, with prosecutors ordered to file a response by February 2. Meanwhile, Trump has criticized Willis, calling her actions illegal and stating that the case is compromised.
This article includes reporting from Samantha Daigle, Digital’s Anders Hagstrom, Brian Flood, Brandon Gillespie, and The Associated Press. Chris Pandolfo, a writer for Digital, contributed to this report.
