District Attorney Fani Willis has been skyrocketed to national scrutiny after leading the charge against Donald Trump and his fellow co-conspirators in Georgia. The former president and others have been indicted under the Georgia RICO act for their actions surrounding the 2020 election, and Fani Willis has become the subject of multiple investigations in the months since then.
Ongoing Developments in Georgia
The most recent complaint against the Georgia District Attorney surrounds her alleged relationship with fellow attorney and Special Prosecutor, Nathan Wade. Wade was hired by the District Attorney’s office to handle the investigation into Donald Trump and his co-conspirators in 2023.
Since his hiring, Wade has worked closely with Willis and her department regarding the RICO case. He was one of few attorneys who was willing to take on the national scrutiny and potential danger of handling the case, and was far from the first lawyer who was asked to take on the responsibility.
Complaints Against Willis and Wade
Recent complaints from one of the defendants has thrown Fani Willis and Nathan Wade’s relationship into the public eye, though. Michael Roman, through his representation, filed complaints with the Georgia Ethics Board, alleging that Nathan Wade and Fani Willis were in an inappropriate romantic relationship.
This led to a thorough investigation into the case, as well as a delay to the trial dates that had been set regarding the investigation. Fani Willis vehemently denied that there had been any sort of wrongdoing on hers or Wade’s part, even though it was discovered that she and Wade have been romantically involved through their employment together.
An Alleged Conflict of Interest
This creates the significant appearance of a conflict of interest. The hearings regarding the ethics complaint have focused primarily on when the relationship between Wade and Willis began, as well as whether Willis improperly benefited from the hiring of Wade to her team.
Wade and Willis vehemently denied any sort of wrongdoing, as well as any sort of quid pro-quo type benefit regarding his employment. Despite this, the scrutiny regarding their relationship has been intense, and has raised ethics complaints from individuals outside of the immediate legal team surrounding the case.
The First Complaint
The first of these complaints came from Steven Kramer, a Fulton County resident. In his complaint, he cited Willis’ relationship with Wade as the reason, questioning whether she had benefited from his hiring in any way, shape, or form.
“The extra resources and financial costs for the court and the district attorney’s office, both paid for by the Fulton County taxpayers like me, are to deal with this improper relationship,” Kramer wrote in his complaint, which was filed on February 14.
The Second Complaint
The second complaint against Willis and Wade was filed by internet-based talk show host, Gregory Mantell. His complaint followed a post that he made on his Substack newsletter, where he claimed that Willis had “violated at least six sections and even more subsections” of the Fulton County Ethics code.
These allegations were in line with a Republican-led state Senate committee which also recently probed into the relationship between Wade and Willis. Allegations that the district attorney misused taxpayer funds in hiring Wade were thoroughly examined in public hearings that the nation has been watching closely.
The Complaints Dismissed
These various complaints against Willis and Wade have yet to bear fruit for those trying to paint the district attorney and special prosecutor in a bad light. And, a recently updated meeting agenda from the Fulton County Board of Ethics reveals that the complaints made by Kramer and Mantell have also been dismissed.
The Board was set to hear the formal complaints this week, but the updated meeting agenda showed that the complaint hearings had been removed from the schedule. This is due to the fact that the board determined that it had no jurisdiction over Willis, who is a state constitutional officer in her role as District Attorney.
A Mere Formality
The dismissal of the complaints is, at this point, a mere formality. While the complaints drew more attention to a case that had already been thrust into the national spotlight due to the high-profile nature of the election interference case against Donald Trump, they were not the true focus of any ethics investigation.
The real issue lies in the case that Jude Scott McAfee is expected to run on by the end of next week. The question of Willis’ neutrality and ethics regarding the case and her hiring of Nathan Wade will be ruled on, with the question of whether she can continue to head up the trial the answer that everyone is waiting on.
Potential Delays Ahead for the RICO Case
Republicans have lauded the ethics board inquiry. Staunch Trump supporters including Georgia Congresswoman Majorie Taylor Greene have taken to social media, posting about their excitement regarding the hearing.
Many have seen this ethics complaint as a significant stumbling block in the Georgia RICO case. Trump supporters who have seen the case as a targeted attack against the former President are thrilled at the potential delay, though it’s unclear how long it would take for a local council to pick another prosecutor, should Fani Willis be removed from the case.
A Small Portion of the Equation
The question of Fani Willis’ ethics regarding the RICO case are only a small portion of the bigger picture. Donald Trump and more than a dozen allies are facing multiple felony charges in the election interference case, which Trump has personally pleaded not guilty to.
Whether Fani Willis is ultimately removed for the alleged ethics violations, the case will still be moving forward. This tactic on the part of the defendants to delay the case will not stop it from being brought to trial, and ultimately they will be found guilty, or not, in a proper court of Georgia law.
