On Monday, ABC’s Good Morning America broke the nearly week-long blackout among the “big three” of ABC, CBS, and NBC on their flagship morning and evening newscasts in reporting the 2020 election case against former President Trump and his 18 co-defendants could fall apart as Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis has been facing allegations of a romantic relationship with one of the special prosecutors hired to assist her.
According to the claim filed by the attorney for Michael Roman, one of Trump’s co-defendants, Willis hired a man named Nathan Wade as one of three people to help prosecute the case, but Roman’s lawyer claims not only are Wade and Willis romantically involved, but allege money Wade has received for work thus far was used for the two to vacation together.
There’s no doubt some leftist viewers were thrown off by this revelation in an opening tease by co-host and former Clinton flack George Stephanopoulos: “The Georgia D.A. prosecuting President Trump responds publicly for the first time to allegations she had an improper relationship with one of the lawyers she hired for the case.”
Following another tease, the three-minute-and-10-second piece came up in the second half hour with Stephanopoulos tossing to correspondent Steve Osunsami, who said there was hope among “many people...who wanted to hear her deny one of the biggest allegations against her, that she was allegedly in a relationship with one of the special prosecutors she hired to work the case against the former President.”
But, during remarks at Big Bethel AME Church, Osunsami said “she did not confirm or deny any of that.”
Trouble in paradise!
“It’s the first time she’s spoken since being accused of having, ‘an improper relationship’ with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor in the alleged election interference case who she hired, who records show took the job a day after he filed for divorce from his wife,” Onsunsami added in the lead-in to a clip of Willis playing the race card by fretting only Wade was being attacked since the other two are white.
For any Resistance readers here, you might want to skip this next sentence as Osunsami leveled the boom by noting Willis would only say “she was flawed and imperfect” and has had to endure “racism”, not whether the claim is true about her newfound romance.
Following another race-baiting clip from Willis, Osunsami recapped the allegation from Roman’s counsel and went to an ABC News legal contributor, who insinuated this could, at the minimum, delay the case from going to trial and, at worst, could end with it being thrown out (click “expand”):
OSUNSAMI: But a lawyer for Michael Roman, a co-defendant of the former President, says race has nothing to do with it. In a legal filing, she’s accusing the Fulton County prosecutor and Nathan Wade of having a “self-serving....arrangement” where she says they “purchased tickets for...cruise lines” and “traveled together to Napa Valley.” And, without evidence, the lawyer accuses Willis and Wade of paying for these alleged vacations with the nearly $650,000 in legal fees that Wade has earned since working the case. In a statement Sunday, the lawyer said “the biggest difference” between the white and black special prosecutors “is that neither” of the white hired lawyers have taken Ms. Willis to California, Florida or on cruises to the Caribbean.” She wants her client’s indictment thrown out and Willis removed from the case.
ABC NEWS LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR CHRIS TIMMONS: There’s a potential that she could get disqualified from the case. And then, if you have a new prosecutor appointed to it, somebody who doesn’t like the case, the case could be dismissed because they don’t think that it should be moved forward.
On cue, Osunsami turned the ire on Republicans for pointing out the severity of the allegation (in other words, Republicans pounce): “Republicans in Washington are already all over this. The House Judiciary Committee, led by Republican, is now investigating. An attorney for Donald Trump says that he’s considering adopting this same motion against Willis.”
He then closed by noting how, if the case isn’t delayed and Willis’s timeline is agreed to by a judge, the Georgia case could “begin in August, setting up a scenario we could potentially have a president-elect in November being called to state trial here in Georgia.”
To see the relevant transcript from January 15, click “expand.”
ABC’s Good Morning America
January 15, 2023
7:01 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Georgia D.A. Speaks Out]
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The Georgia D.A. prosecuting President Trump responds publicly for the first time to allegations she had an improper relationship with one of the lawyers she hired for the case.
(....)
7:18 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Georgia D.A. Prosecuting Trump Speaks Out; Responds to Allegations of Being Romantically Involved with Lawyer She Hired]
STEPHANOPOULOS: And we hear from the Georgia D.A. leading the election interference against Donald Trump.
(....)
7:34 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Georgia D.A. Prosecuting Trump Speaks Out; Responds to Allegations of Being Romantically Involved with Lawyer She Hired
STEPHANOPOULOS: We turn now to the Georgia District Attorney leading the case against former President Trump. Fani Willis spoke for the first time on Sunday about her alleged improper relationship with one of the lawyers she hired. Senior national correspondent Steve Osunsami is in Atlanta with the story. Good morning, Steve.
STEVE OSUNSAMI: Good morning to you, George. There are many people here — many of them her supporters — who wanted to hear her deny one of the biggest allegations against her, that she was allegedly in a relationship with one of the special prosecutors she hired to work the case against the former President. In her comments, she did not confirm or deny any of that.
FANI WILLIS: I’m a little confused.
OSUNSAMI: It’s the first time she’s spoken since being accused of having, “an improper relationship” with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor in the alleged election interference case who she hired, who records show took the job a day after he filed for divorce from his wife.
WILLIS: I appointed three special counsels as it’s my right to do. Paid them all the same, hourly rate. They only attack one.
OSUNSAMI: Speaking before one of the oldest black churches in America on Sunday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis shared she was flawed and imperfect, and spoke about the racism she has endured. She says no one is focusing this way on the two other special prosecutors she’s appointed who are white.
WILLIS: Isn’t them who’s playing the race card when they only question one?
OSUNSAMI: But a lawyer for Michael Roman, a co-defendant of the former President, says race has nothing to do with it. In a legal filing, she’s accusing the Fulton County prosecutor and Nathan Wade of having a “self-serving....arrangement” where she says they “purchased tickets for...cruise lines” and “traveled together to Napa Valley.” And, without evidence, the lawyer accuses Willis and Wade of paying for these alleged vacations with the nearly $650,000 in legal fees that Wade has earned since working the case. In a statement Sunday, the lawyer said “the biggest difference” between the white and black special prosecutors “is that neither” of the white hired lawyers have taken Ms. Willis to California, Florida or on cruises to the Caribbean.” She wants her client’s indictment thrown out and Willis removed from the case.
ABC NEWS LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR CHRIS TIMMONS: There’s a potential that she could get disqualified from the case. And then, if you have a new prosecutor appointed to it, somebody who doesn’t like the case, the case could be dismissed because they don’t think that it should be moved forward.
OSUNSAMI: Republicans in Washington are already all over this. The House Judiciary Committee, led by Republican, is now investigating. An attorney for Donald Trump says that he’s considering adopting this same motion against Willis. Donald Trump, Mr. Roman, and 17 others pleaded not guilty last August after prosecutors charged them with attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Four of them took plea deals in exchange for testifying against other defendants. The judge has not set a date for trial yet, but Fani Willis is asking that it begin in August, setting up a scenario we could potentially have a president-elect in November being called to state trial here in Georgia. There’s a hearing likely next month to discuss some of these accusations where Fannie Willis will have a chance to respond. Guys
ROBIN ROBERTS: We’ll see what happens. All right, Steve. Thank you.
