‘It Really Is a Mess’: Fani Willis Accusations Play Into Trump’s Hands, Hearing Set for February

The accusation appears to be backed by credit card statements that show Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor appointed by Willis, paid for her plane tickets. Those statements were included in a court filing on Friday, and were attached to a filing by Wade’s estranged wife in the couple’s divorce case which is ongoing.

Fani Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia is embroiled in alleged controversy. Willis was tasked with prosecuting former President Donald Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. She is now facing accusations of engaging in an improper relationship with her lead prosecutor and of mishandling public money. The allegation that she had a romantic relationship with Wade was made in a filing by Mike Roman, one of Trump’s co-defendants in the criminal case. Roman had no evidence at the time of the filing.

Nearly a week after she was first accused of these allegations, she made a roughly 30 minute speech before the Big Bethel AME Church in which she suggested race had played a role in the criticism of her. But throughout her speech she repeatedly referred to herself as a “flawed” and “imperfect” public servant who is “hardheaded”. Writer and journalist Daniel Lazare spoke to Sputnik’s Political Misfits on Friday and said that the allegations are “playing right into Trump’s hands”.

“It really is a mess, but it's amazing,” said Lazare of the recent allegations. “I mean, it's playing right into Trump's hands. Trump is very lucky in his choice of enemies, and Fani Willis is just ideal from this point of view. It just shows the incredible corruption at the heart of the democratic judicial regime. It's amazing.”

“We should wait until the process works itself out. No question about it,” said Lazare, who pointed out that the allegations against Willis have not yet been proven to be true.

“But the facts seem to be pretty clear. I mean, they apparently are in a relationship. They were taking vacations together. She gave him this lucrative job, fed him thousands of dollars, which they then use to take vacations together. So essentially what they're doing is tapping into public funds for their own private entertainment. This is corrupt. It's absolutely corrupt,” he added.

Sputnik’s Ben Zinevich then pointed out what seems like Trump’s ability to escape unscathed from the 91 criminal charges he faces. And up until this most recent controversy, the Georgia election case appeared to be the strongest case made against Trump. But despite his inability to keep his mouth shut when being interviewed—as well as his continuation of making inflammatory remarks—he seems to have persevered and appears on track to winning the GOP primaries.

“Well, I think it's very possible they'll wind up taking a case away from Fani Willis and her boyfriend Wade and give it to somebody else,” said Lazare. “And the case will then go forward. But it'll be much delayed. I presume it won't be heard until next year after the election. So it has kind of been canceled."

A hearing has been set by the Fulton County judge who is overseeing the Georgia case against Trump. On February 15—one day after Valentine’s Day—the judge will reportedly hear evidence for the allegations made against Willis. Roman’s attorney alleged in her 127-page filing that Wade has a “lack of relevant experience” but has been paid $650,000 in legal fees since he was brought on to his position. The Fulton County DA’s office has not filed any response to the allegations. Roman is hoping his case will lead to the dismissal of his indictment and disqualify Willis from the case.

“But it just goes to show how the Democrats put it all on Trump but they never consider their own role in the debacle. And it is a debacle, by the way. Having a second Trump term will be extraordinarily destructive,” said Lazare, who said the path to a second Trump presidency is being made possible by the Democrats.

“And it exposes the Democrats as corrupt, which is what Trump has been saying all along,” he added. “So it's completely self-destructive and completely reactionary, too. It further undermines democracy.”