Scandal-plagued Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was nowhere to be found Sunday during the first Democratic Party debate as she attempts to win re-election.
Willis has sparked controversy while prosecuting the county’s election interference case against Donald Trump, as it was revealed that she had a past relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
Her conduct came under scrutiny during a series of sensational hearings, with Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ultimately criticizing her for a “tremendous error of judgment” and for acting in an “unprofessional manner.”
However, he escaped with just a slap on the wrist, after McAfee dramatically ruled that he could remain on Trump’s election interference case if Wade dropped out.
On Sunday, he skipped the party’s first primary debate, leaving his opponent Christian Wise Smith to speak at an empty podium.
She doesn’t seem too worried about the scandal affecting her re-election chances, as she skipped the party’s first primary debate, leaving her opponent Christian Wise Smith to speak at an empty podium.
Willis speaks at a news conference alongside prosecutor Nathan Wade after a grand jury returned indictments against former President Donald Trump.
Willis instead chose co-host an annual ‘self-care fair’ for crime victims, even though early voting began Monday.
Smith criticized Willis’ decision to hire Wade to prosecute Trump.
“That issue is important to us in Fulton County and to many people across the country…but things have to be done differently,” he said during the debate.
“When you pay an attorney almost $1 million to handle a case, that leaves the rest of us vulnerable, that hurts everyone in Fulton County.”
Smith no doubt hopes his absence will improve his chances, as Fox 5 Atlanta The poll shows Willis still leading the race by 70 points.
Wade led the team of lawyers Willis assembled to prosecute the case since the previous president and 18 others were charged in August, but their relationship raised concerns that the couple could reap financial gains through the process.
Willis, 53, has said she “does not feel embarrassed” by the relationship and that her defense team’s efforts to “slow down” the progress of the case against Trump have been unsuccessful.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to recover my reputation. Let’s say it for the record: I’m not ashamed of anything I’ve done,” she said. cnn at a community event in College Park, Atlanta, in late March.
Smith criticized Willis’ decision to hire Wade in Trump prosecution
Scandal-plagued Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was not seen Sunday at the first Democratic Party debate as she attempts to win re-election.
Instead, Willis opted to co-host an annual ‘self-care fair’ for crime victims, even though early voting began Monday.
“I think my biggest crime is having had a relationship with a man, but that’s not something I find shameful in any way.
“I know I haven’t done anything illegal.”
Referring to two months of hearings and court actions over their romantic relationship, he added: “While that was happening, we were writing responsive briefs, we were still pursuing the case the way it needed to be done.”
“I don’t feel like they’ve held us back at all. I think efforts are being made to stop this train, but the train is coming.”
His latest comments come as defense attorneys continue to level accusations over their handling of a sprawling lawsuit against the former president and current presumptive Republican nominee.
Trump faces four felony indictments, including separate federal and state cases, for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election that he lost to President Joe Biden.
His team has fought to delay and dismiss the cases, arguing that political opponents are wrongly attacking him.
Willis looks on during a hearing on the Georgia election interference case
Defense attorneys have alleged that Willis hired Wade to profit from Trump’s prosecution through their romantic relationship.
Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said there was not enough evidence to prove those claims, but he reprimanded Willis for what he called a “tremendous error in judgment.”
Anthony Michael Kreis, a law professor at Georgia State University who has been following the case, criticized his comments in a post on X.
“If I were Fani Willis, I just wouldn’t talk to the media right now out of sheer caution,” Kreis said.
In a 23-page ruling, Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee criticized Willis for a “tremendous error in judgment” and for acting in an “unprofessional manner” but said he could continue the case if Wade resigned.
He reasoned that not enough evidence had been shown to establish that her romantic relationship with Wade amounted to an “actual conflict of interest.”
Trump’s lawyers criticized the decision to allow Willis to pursue the case and said they would pursue “all legal options” in response.
At a rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, in early March, Trump attacked Wade by taking advantage of his lack of experience prosecuting crimes in Atlanta before he was chosen to lead the election interference case, saying he had “never done that.” before”.
“But he did something else before that he did with Fani, he did a lot of that,” Trump added, referring to his romantic relationships.
“I guess that’s what he’s good at,” Trump said as the crowd laughed.
