FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Former President Donald Trump's co-defendant, Michael Roman, remains steadfast in his pursuit to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade from the Georgia election interference case.
Roman accused Willis on Jan. 8 of having an "improper, clandestine relationship" with Wade and benefiting from his position when Wade paid for them to go on vacations together as a couple.
In a newly filed 122-page supplemental reply to Willis's 176-page court-ordered response to Roman's original motion, Roman claims that the romantic relationship between Willis and Wade began earlier than what was disclosed.
The court document contends, "Since Willis and Wade were not forthright about their relationship in the first instance, there is no reason to believe they are telling the truth now."
Wade claimed in an affidavit included in Willis' response that their relationship did not begin until 2022, but Roman's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, alleges witnesses can prove it started before Wade's appointment in November 2021 and before Willis was sworn in as district attorney in January 2021.
One witness, Wade's former law partner Terrence Bradley, is cited as having non-privileged knowledge of the relationship, stating it began before Willis took office. Bradley's insights challenge Wade's claim that they didn't start dating until 2022.
TIMELINE: Fulton County DA Fani Willis, Nathan Wade controversy
The supplemental reply also claims that Willis and Wade stayed together at an apartment Willis shared with a former employee and later at a Fulton County safehouse.
The reply also lists previously undisclosed trips to the Bahamas and Belize totaling $6,700 that were paid for by Wade. The filing suggests that both Willis and Wade, who has billed over $728,000 in legal fees, have enriched themselves from the case.
"It is evident that the district attorney and her personally-appointed special prosecutor have enriched themselves off this case," according to the filing. "That enrichment has taken various forms, not the least of which is incredible amounts of money paid to Wade by Willis that has, in turn, resulted in Willis’ personal financial benefit in the form of vacations, hotel stays and the like that have nothing to do with this case or her official duties as a prosecutor."
The document accuses Willis of using media appearances to prejudice the defendants in the election interference case before any charges were filed. It argues that Willis's media access to authors of a book was intended to taint the jury pool and document her rise to fame.
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The filing also criticizes Willis's passionate speech at the Bethel AME Church, which occurred six days after Roman filed his motion. Trump subsequently accused Willis of injecting race into the case.
In response to Willis's reply to Roman's motion, Trump filed a separate reply calling it "preposterous and disingenuous at best, and an outright lie at worst."
In related developments, Sen. Bill Cowsert announced during the first meeting of the state's Senate Special Committee on Investigations that whistleblowers in the Fulton County District Attorney's Office are eager to testify.
A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 15 for Roman's motion.
Roman is facing seven charges in connection with the DA office's investigation into alleged interference in Georgia's 2020 presidential election, including a violation of the Georgia RICO Act, conspiracy to impersonate a public officer, conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree, and conspiracy to commit false statements and writing.