Special prosecutor Nathan Wade withdraws from Trump case in Georgia – NBC Los Angeles

A special prosecutor who had a romantic relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis formally withdrew Friday from the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump after a judge ruled one of them had to leave the case for it to move forward.

Attorney Nathan Wade’s role in the prosecution had come under fire since an attorney representing one of Trump’s co-defendants alleged in early January that Wade and Willis were involved in an inappropriate relationship that resulted in Willis profiting improperly from the prosecution.

Wade offered his resignation in a letter to Willis, saying he was doing so “in the interest of democracy.’

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee had ruled Friday that Wade had to be removed or Willis must step aside from the case. McAfee did not find that Willis’ relationship with Wade amounted to a conflict of interest that should disqualify her from the case. However, he said, the allegations created an “appearance of impropriety” that infected the prosecution team.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testified Thursday during a probe of her ongoing romantic relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade, which Willis and Wade engaged in during their investigation into former President Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. “You’re confused. You think I’m on trial. These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. I’m not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial.”