The argument about who footed the bill for the excursions Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis took with special prosecutor Nathan Wade revolved around Willis' habit of keeping big quantities of cash at home, which was defended by Willis' father.
"I wish to avoid being racist. because it's a Black thing," retired lawyer John Floyd III stated on Friday in court. "Most Black people conceal their money." They hold cash.
He claimed that in 2019, Willis lived with her and had a frequent companion. Floyd claimed that before last year, he had never met or heard of Wade.
In addition, he detailed "nightmare threats" made against his daughter's safety following her assumption of office, which, according to a previous witness, caused her to relocate to a condo rented by an old acquaintance.
They threatened to demolish the house. They intended to murder her. I was going to be killed by them. He recounted an incident in which he removed derogatory remarks with racist and sexist overtones from her house and stated, "They were going to kill my grandchildren." "I mean, it goes on forever. And then, it became — and I started to worry for her security.
After leaving her house, he claimed he had no interest in finding out where Willis resided and had never been there. Willis said on Thursday that she was unable to continue living at her home because of the "severe" nature of the attacks on her.
The focus of the hearing has shifted to a disagreement about when Willis and Wade started dating and whether or not that relationship existed before she chose him to be the case's special prosecutor.
Contrary to the former pair, Willis's buddy has reported seeing "hugging, kissing, just affection" between Wade and the district attorney as early as November 2021.
Another witness, Terrence Bradley, Wade's former legal partner who briefly assisted with his divorce, is being called by the defense on the grounds that he is prohibited by the attorney-client privilege from disclosing anything he witnessed or learned. In a defense motion, Bradley claimed to have knowledge that would refute Willis and Wade's assertion that their connection started after Wade took on the role of special prosecutor. The Georgia case against former President Donald Trump over election meddling is in danger of collapsing due to the charges.
A representative for the district attorney's office stated that the state had no more questions for Willis, therefore she was not asked to testify again on Friday.
In an attempt to stop a push for Willis's airline records, Willis's office is anticipated to summon at least three additional witnesses—including Willis' father—to the witness stand.
Willis's Delta Air Lines records may show previously unreported travels by Willis and Wade, according to a lawyer for one of Trump's co-defendants. Willis has claimed that their friendship has benefited him personally. Allegations of impropriety against the lawyers could result in Willis being dismissed from the case.
A old acquaintance questioned the timeframe of Willis's friendship with Wade, so she abruptly withdrew her plea to avoid testifying on Thursday and took the stand. Although she admitted last month that she was in a personal connection with Wade, Willis refuted claims that it was inappropriate.
During one of numerous heated back-and-forths with the attorneys for Trump and his co-defendants on Thursday, Willis remarked, "You're confused; you think I'm on trial." "For attempting to rig an election in 2020, these individuals are on trial. Despite your best efforts to have me placed on trial, I'm not in court.
Wade and Willis may have been romantically linked as early as November 2021, according to Robin Yeartie, who first met Willis in college and worked in the district attorney's office until 2022. This would go against an earlier affidavit that they both signed. However, throughout their evidence on Thursday, both prosecutors emphasized over and again that their connection started in "early 2022" and terminated last year. Wade stated in court that Willis paid him back in cash for trips that show up in his bank records—a point that Trump and the other defendants have attempted to use as evidence that she made money off of their connection.
With the time it would take to assemble a new prosecutorial team making a trial against Trump increasingly implausible, Willis' dismissal would cause a severe disruption in the vast racketeering case against him.
Willis remarked, "I ran to the court," following Wade's testimony. The day took a dramatic turn after her presence.
"His testimony is over," was shouted by someone while I was pacing my office. Therefore, I thought it only fitting that I would be your next witness," she continued.
Willis spoke for hours on Thursday during the hearing, covering topics such as paying Wade hundreds of dollars in cash for excursions they did together and providing thorough answers to queries regarding the chronology of their connection.
In August, Willis accused Trump and eighteen other defendants of plotting to rig Georgia's 2020 presidential election. Out of the thirteen defendants, four have entered guilty pleas, and Trump has entered a not guilty plea.
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