A legal representative for former US President Donald Trump has alleged that the primary prosecutor in the 2020 election interference case may have provided false information to the court regarding her undisclosed romantic involvement with a key deputy.
Steve Sadow, the attorney representing Trump, contended that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' sworn statement suggesting that her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade commenced after his hiring lacked credibility.
"In the legal framework of Georgia, the mere appearance of impropriety suffices for disqualification," Sadow asserted before Judge Scott McAfee.
In response, prosecutor Adam Abbate argued that an extensive three-day evidentiary inquiry failed to produce any substantial evidence indicating that Willis' relationship compromised the defendant's constitutional rights to due process.
"Given the absence of evidence, the motions seeking disqualification should be dismissed," Abbate asserted.
Following the hearing, McAfee expressed his intention to render a verdict within a fortnight, withholding any indication of his potential decision.
Trump, who is the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, along with 14 co-defendants, stands accused of unlawfully pressuring Georgia officials to overturn his 2020 electoral defeat to President Joe Biden.
Trump has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
Should the ruling favor Trump and his associates, it could further prolong the proceedings of an intricate racketeering case already facing a potentially protracted path to trial.
While disqualifying Willis would not necessarily terminate the case, as she might be substituted by another district attorney, such an outcome could lead to substantial delays, and a successor prosecutor could opt to narrow the charges or even decline to pursue the case.
The closing arguments presented before McAfee on Friday culminate a series of evidentiary hearings, during which Willis admitted to a romantic involvement with Wade. However, she accused a defense attorney of misrepresenting the timing and nature of their relationship.
The revelation of the affair initially surfaced in a January filing by a lawyer representing Michael Roman, who contended that it posed a conflict of interest and unfairly benefited Wade.
Both Willis and Wade affirmed under oath that their relationship commenced after Wade's appointment, with prosecutors asserting that the affair holds no relevance to the case's merit as it did not adversely affect the defendants.
Conversely, defense attorneys have accused the prosecution of providing false testimony, contending that the relationship began before Wade's hiring. Trump's legal team recently submitted court documents citing location data retrieved from Wade's cellphone, indicating numerous late-night visits to Willis' residence preceding her appointment with him.
Trump is currently under indictment in three other criminal cases at either the state or federal level.
His trial in New York, scheduled for March 25, pertains to allegations of illegally concealing payments to a pornographic actress, potentially serving as his sole trial preceding the November election.
Additionally, Trump faces charges in Washington concerning his attempts to overturn the 2020 election outcome, although proceedings are on hold pending a ruling from the US Supreme Court regarding potential immunity from prosecution for actions undertaken during his presidency.
Moreover, Trump was indicted in Florida for his handling of classified documents upon leaving office, with a hearing held on Friday to consider his request for a trial date postponement, currently slated for May 20.
Trump maintains his innocence in all cases, asserting that they constitute politically motivated endeavors aimed at undermining his electoral aspirations.
In the event of a presidential victory, Trump could exercise executive authority to terminate the Washington and Florida cases, as they fall under federal jurisdiction. However, he lacks the authority to intervene in the Georgia case, which falls under state jurisdiction.
