Fani Willis could face a new headache in Donald Trump’s election meddling case in Georgia after her former prosecutor, Nathan Wade, agreed to a TV interview, a law professor has suggested.
Willis, who is the District Attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, which covers most of the city of Atlanta, indicted Trump, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and 17 others for alleged fraud in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. All of the accused have pleaded not guilty, but at least four are now cooperating with authorities.
Wade was forced to withdraw from the case after the trial judge, Scott McAfee, criticized the way Willis handled his relationship with prosecutors. The trial had been paused while Trump’s lawyers went to the Georgia Court of Appeals to have the case dismissed, based on Willis’ relationship with Wade.
CNN show Source released an interview with Wade on Wednesday in which he believed Trump could still be prosecuted in Georgia even if he won the November presidential election.
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Anthony Michael Kreis, professor of constitutional law at Georgia State University College of Law, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday that the interview posed a risk to Trump.
“I am concerned that some of the internal deliberations may be exposed on national television,” Kreis wrote.
CNN published a clip of the interview online in which the station highlighted the fact that Wade’s legal team intervened as Wade answered questions.
Kreis also questioned why the legal team sat out the interview and suggested that Wade was trying to get a TV contract.
“Why, pray tell, does Nathan Wade have a team aside from all the interviews to receive a TV contract? And how can that be positive for the Fulton DA’s office?” he asked.
Newsweek emailed for comment from Nathan Wade, Fani Willis’ office and from Trump’s lawyers on Thursday.
During a CNN interview, Wade said he believes Trump will be tried in Georgia, even if he wins the 2024 presidential election.
“Obviously, I don’t think there’s anything that could have prevented that from happening,” Wade said.
“If he wins the election, there will be lawyers out there who will be charged with figuring out the issue, maneuvering.”
Wade told CNN he did not believe he was responsible for the delay in the trial.
“I do not believe that my actions played a role. I believe in the accusations. Of course, I would never do anything that would damage the work. he said.
“This lawsuit has nothing to do with the voters and their opinion on whether these allegations are true or false. It has everything to do with the rule of law,” Wade told CNN.
In response to the Georgia Court of Appeals, Fani Willis’ office wrote Wednesday that the case against Trump should continue.
Trump’s lawyers are seeking to have the charges dismissed or to have Willis removed from the case. Nine of Trump’s accusers, including Giuliani, Trump’s former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and Trump’s former senior aide, Mike Roman, have joined the case.
On March 15, McAfee said either Willis or Wade should leave the case. Wade resigned from the case hours later.
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