ATLANTA (AP) — A former friend and co-worker of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testified Thursday that Willis’ personal relationship with a special prosecutor began before she hired him to lead the election interference case against Donald Trump.
Robin Yeartie’s testimony directly contradicts statements from Willis and Wade that their personal relationship didn’t begin until after Wade was hired in November 2021. Wade, who took the witness stand after Yeartie, testified that his relationship with Willis began in early 2022.
The differing testimony came in a hearing that could determine whether Willis should be removed from the case accusing Trump and others of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Willis’ removal would be a stunning development in the most sprawling of the four criminal cases against Trump. An additional delay would likely lessen the chance that a trial would be held before the November election, when he is expected to be the Republican nominee for president.
In a court filing earlier this month, Willis and Wade said they were not in a personal relationship when Wade was hired, and that he and Willis shared travel expenses and never lived together.
But Yeartie, who previously worked in the district attorney’s office, testified that she saw Wade and Willis hugging and kissing prior to November 2021.
Since the allegations of an inappropriate relationship surfaced last month in a motion filed by Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, the former president has used them to try to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Willis’ case. Other Republicans have cited them in calling for investigations into Willis, a Democrat who’s up for reelection this year.
At a separate hearing in New York on Thursday, a judge ruled that Trump’s hush-money criminal case will go ahead as scheduled with jury selection starting on March 25.
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