Nathan Wade, a former Fulton County special prosecutor and divorce attorney, resumed testifying Tuesday afternoon at a hearing regarding the romantic relationship between Wade and District Attorney Fannie Willis, but he cannot recall when their relationship began. said.
According to a series of emails, Judge Scott McAfee, who is overseeing the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants, said some of his communications with Wade and his former lawyer, Terrence Bradley, were・The decision was made that the client's privilege would not apply. Obtained by NBC News.
The public prosecutor's office and the defense attorney involved in the case acknowledged the legitimacy of the email.
Wade appeared at the hearing, which began around 2 p.m. ET. He had previously refused to waive attorney-client privilege regarding his communications with Bradley. Mr. McAfee met privately with Mr. Bradley and his attorney on Monday before setting the hearing.
Ashley Merchant, a lawyer for Mr. Trump's co-defendant Michael Roman, asked Mr. Bradley when their relationship began, but Mr. Bradley said he could not remember the date. “I don't know when it started,” Bradley said.
The issue is important because Merchant claims he was already in a relationship with Wade when he appointed him special counsel. Mr Wade and Mr Willis said they became involved after Mr Wade was appointed.
Merchant asked Bradley about text messages Bradley sent her alleging the two were involved before Willis was elected district attorney. Bradley said she was “guessing.” “I didn’t witness anything,” he said.
He later admitted that Wade said he was dating Willis “at some point.” “I can't say what date that was,” Bradley said, adding that the statement was “made privately.”
Asked afterwards if Wade had told her about having sex with Willis at the law office he rented, Bradley replied, “I don't remember him saying anything like that.”
Later, Merchant confronted Bradley about a text message in which he said Wade and Willis had traveled together several times. He said, “What I know about travel probably comes from my clients at the time.”
Defendants in the election lawsuit argued that Willis and Wade were “enriched by this lawsuit” because of their romantic relationship. McAfee said Willis “may” be disqualified from further prosecution over the allegations against Trump and his co-defendants. Mr Willis has denied any wrongdoing.
During a two-day hearing held by McAfee earlier this month, both Willis and Wade testified, but Bradley said on stage that he could not answer questions because of attorney-client privilege. He repeatedly stated that he could not.
Merchant suggested that Bradley had personal knowledge that the relationship between Willis and Wade began before Wade was hired as special counsel, which contradicts testimony in court. Dew.
In early February, Roman's attorney said in a filing that he believed Bradley had information about when Willis and Wade started dating because he was friends with Wade before he became a lawyer.
Willis and Wade testified at a previous hearing that their relationship ended in the summer of 2023.
Closing arguments on Willis' disbarment motion based on allegations of conflict of interest are scheduled for Friday, after which it will be up to McAfee to make a decision on the matter.