Judge Orders Release of Court Records in High-Profile Divorce Case Involving Special Prosecutor Hired in Trump Election Case
In a surprising turn of events, a judge has ordered the release of court records in a highly publicized divorce case that involves a special prosecutor hired in the election case against former President Donald Trump and his allies. The divorce case has been shrouded in controversy, with allegations of an affair between the special prosecutor, Nathan Wade, and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. While the recently unsealed court records do not include any references to the alleged affair, they have raised questions about the integrity of the prosecution.
The decision to unseal the divorce case came after a defense attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, filed a motion alleging an inappropriate relationship between Willis and Wade. The judge, however, has not yet made a final decision on whether Willis will have to sit for questioning in the divorce case. Her deposition, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed.
Willis has vehemently defended her decision to hire Wade, despite his lack of prosecutorial experience. She has also refrained from directly denying the romantic relationship allegations. According to Willis, Wade’s estranged wife is attempting to obstruct her criminal election interference case against Trump and others by seeking to question her in the divorce proceedings.
The affair allegations have cast a shadow over the prosecution, with Trump and his allies seizing on the claims to attack both the case itself and Wade’s qualifications as a prosecutor. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has called the charges politically motivated.
The subpoena for Willis to sit for a deposition in the divorce case was served on the same day that Merchant filed her motion. Documents filed in court reveal that Wade bought plane tickets in Willis’ name, leading Joycelyn Wade’s lawyer to argue that there is no reasonable explanation for their travels apart from a romantic relationship. Andrea Dyer Hastings, Joycelyn Wade’s lawyer, argued in court that Willis has unique personal knowledge related to the divorce case and should be subject to questioning. She accused Willis of hiding under the shield of her position.
Cinque Axam, a lawyer for Willis, argued that the issue before the court is simply how to divide the marital assets and that it has nothing to do with Willis. According to Axam, Willis does not share any accounts with Nathan Wade and does not determine how he spends money.
During a brief hearing in Cobb County Superior Court, Judge Henry Thompson stated that he cannot rule on whether Willis should sit for a deposition until Wade himself is questioned later this month. The judge also ruled that the court documents in the divorce case must be made public, as a previous judge had improperly sealed the case without holding a hearing.
The court filings reveal that Nathan Wade has taken numerous trips since filing for divorce, including destinations like San Francisco, Napa Valley, Florida, Belize, Panama, and Australia. According to the filings, Willis was intended to be Wade’s travel partner for some of these trips, as indicated by plane tickets he purchased for her.
This divorce case is just one of four legal battles that Trump is currently facing as he seeks to return to the White House. Prosecutors are utilizing a statute typically associated with mobsters to accuse Trump, his lawyers, and other aides of operating a “criminal enterprise” to keep him in power. Four individuals have already pleaded guilty in the Georgia election case after reaching deals with prosecutors. The remaining 15, including Trump and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, have all pleaded not guilty.
While the release of the court records provides some insight into the divorce case involving Nathan Wade and Fani Willis, it leaves many questions unanswered. The allegations of an affair between the special prosecutor and the district attorney continue to loom over the high-profile election case against Trump and his allies. As the legal battles unfold, the public waits to see what impact these allegations will have on the prosecution and the future of Donald Trump.
