Trump vs Willis: Lawyer Terrence Bradley retakes stand in Fani Willis hearing

ATLANTA - Summary: It was clear that lawyer and Nathan Wade's former partner, Terrence Bradley, did not want to be on the stand again in Fulton County on Tuesday. He was brought back after Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee determined on Monday that he did not meet the burden of establishing attorney-client privilege related to a conversation Bradley reportedly had with Wade about his relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

Bradley was questioned for a little over 2 hours by several of the attorneys for defendants in the Georgia election interference case. The majority of his answers were along the lines that he did not recall or did not remember conversations or dates or text messages. Multiple times it appeared that he would ask for questions to be repeated as a stalling tactic. He was also accused of looking at his lawyer and the attorney for Nathan Wade, waiting for one of them to object to the question.

Bradley repeatedly said that he was speculating previously about the relationship between Willis and Wade and he didn't know any specifics about their romantic relationship. He also insisted that he only had one conversation ever with Wade about the relationship. 

4:20 p.m. | Judge McAfee is asking the lawyers if they have given any thought about how they would like the hearing to go on Friday. McAfee also mentioned that the state filed a new motion today. Additionally, McAfee indicated that they will discuss the cellphone records on Friday. He says he is not scheduling a separate hearing for the records. McAfee indicated he will make a decision on Michael Roman's motion as soon as he can.

4:09 p.m. | Lawyer Ashleigh Merchant asks to submit "complete" text chain between herself and Bradley. Bradley's lawyer wants to download all the texts from Merchant's phone. The state is also objecting.

Judge McAfee says that since Merchant has offered to print out the complete text chain, he will give her the opportunity to do so and he will wait to hear back about that exhibit.

4:07 p.m. | Judge McAfee tells Bradley he can step down. He has also been excused.

4:05 p.m. | Prosecutors do not have any questions for Bradley.

4:02 p.m. | Questioning resumes. Bradley is asked if he spoke to anyone besides his lawyers about today's testimony. He is also questioned about the last time he spoke to Wade. Bradley says that was 2 years ago when he left the firm.

3:52 p.m. | Court is taking a quick bathroom break. Court will resume at 4 p.m.

3:48 p.m. | Lawyer Richard Rice begins by asking if Bradley told any lies about the relationship between Willis and Wade. Bradley answers that he can't recall. He also says that he mentioned earlier that he speculated on some things. Rice responds that speculation is kind of a "weaselly lawyer word" and reminds Bradley he is under oath.

Rice then asks Bradley if he knew what Ashleigh Merchant was going to do with the motion that she shared with him. Bradley responds yes. Rice then asks Bradley if he knew that she wanted information that she could use to have the district attorney disqualified. Bradley again answers yes. Rice also asks if Bradley knew the special prosecutor was Wade. Bradley says yes.

3:35 p.m. | Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's attorney Allyn Stockton is now asking Bradley about the motion that he reviewed for lawyer Ashleigh Merchant. Stockton asks Bradley if he would have told Merchant if there was something that was "patently false" in the motion. Bradley says he doesn't know what he would have told Merchant.

3:28 p.m. | Steve Sadow is asking Bradley if he or his lawyer have spoken to the district attorney's office or Wade. Bradley says there has not been any contact with the defense or the state at all.

3:16 p.m. | Steve Sadow is now asking Bradley about the text he sent about the relationship starting when Willis left the DA's office and became a judge in South Fulton. Bradley says again that he was speculating. Sadow responds by asking Bradley "why in the heck" would he speculate. Bradley says he does not know and he has no direct knowledge. Sadow then asks why Bradley didn't just say that he did not know. Bradley answers that he doesn't know why he didn't answer that he didn't know.

3:08 p.m. | Steve Sadow is grilling Bradley on how many conversations he had with Wade about his relationship with Willis in 4-½ years. Sadow is repeatedly reminding Bradley that he is under oath. Bradley continues to say he doesn't recall specifics.

3:04 p.m. | Former President Trump's lawyer Steve Sadow, who is appearing in the courtroom via ZOOM, is now questioning Bradley.

3 p.m. | Merchant asks Bradley if he remembers her texting him and asking if he thought the relationship began before she hired him. Bradley reportedly responded "Absolutely." Merchant then says she asked him how he thought they would react and Bradley replied that they would deny it.

2:57 p.m. | Bradley admits that he did not want to testify at the hearing for Roman's motion.

2:54 p.m. | Bradley just confirmed that Wade used his credit card to pay for a trip with Willis. Bradley says that it was before their partnership split up and he left the firm.

2:52 p.m. | Merchant is now grilling Bradley about his knowledge of trips taken by Wade and Willis.

2:43 p.m. | Roman's lawyer continues to ask Bradley about what he learned from Wade about the relationship and when he may have learned it. Bradley continues to be evasive and his lawyer continues to object. Merchant is also asking questions about Bradley telling her that Wade and Willis had sex at her office and that Wade was in possession of a garage opener to her residence.

2:30 p.m. | Merchant is now asking Bradley about Michael Roman's motion that Bradley reportedly read and texted "looks good."

2:28 p.m. | When asked what Wade told him about the relationship with Willis, Bradley answers that he only recalled them talking about it one time in their office. He says no one else was present and he does not remember the date.

2:25 p.m. | Merchant objects to Bradley looking at his lawyer or Wade's lawyer before answering every question. "When I ask a question, Mr. Bradley is looking at Mr. Wade and his lawyer to wait for them to object. They’re clearly interacting," Merchant said.

2:23 p.m. | When asked by Merchant how he obtained knowledge of the relationship, Bradley answered that he was speculated and could not explain why he was speculating.

2:21 p.m. | Judge McAfee suggests the lawyer ask where Bradley may have obtained knowledge of the relationship versus the specifics of the relationship.

2:18 p.m. | Merchant is attempting to narrow down when Bradley learned of the relationship. When Bradley was asked if he knew when he received a contract from Willis in January 2021, Bradley said "I don't recall any specific dates."

2:11 p.m. | Michael Roman's lawyer, Ashleigh Merchant, is asking Bradley a series of questions about text messages she exchanged with him. So far, Bradley has denied knowing when the relationship began and denies being able to remember sending certain text messages.

Merchant: "When did the relationship start?"

Bradley: "I can not answer that."

Merchant: "When did you first gain knowledge of the relationship?"

Bradley: "I don't know how to answer that. I can't give you a date."

2:06 p.m. | Judge McAfee explains that at the end of the hearing on Feb. 16 he was concerned about Bradley's understanding of what may or may not be covered under attorney-client privilege. He met with both Bradley and Wade and feels that Bradley's knowledge did not meet the burden to establish attorney-client privilege.

2:02 p.m. | Fulton County Superior Court Judge Judge Scott McAfee has entered the courtroom. Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade is present in the courtroom. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is not. Several attorneys for defendants in the Georgia election interference case are either in the courtroom or participating by ZOOM. 

ORIGINAL STORY

Nathan Wade’s former law partner, Terrence Bradley, is expected to take the stand on Tuesday in efforts by former President Donald Trump and others to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from  the Georgia 2020 election interference case.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee met privately with Bradley on Monday to review his understanding of attorney-client privilege.

‘Star witness’ Terrence Bradley silent during Willis hearing

Bradley was supposed to be the star witness for co-defendant Michael Roman, who filed the initial motion accusing Willis and Wade of having an improper relationship and benefiting from the prosecution of Trump and his co-defendants. Others, including the former president, joined in the motion setting up a series of legal filings and hearings.

Once Bradley was on the stand during the two-day hearing for the motion, he refused to answer some questions, citing attorney-client privilege. During questioning, an issue arose that resulted in Judge McAfee questioning Bradley's understanding of the rule. 

Wade filed a motion last week in an attempt to stop the meeting, but McAfee ruled against it.

Timeline: Fulton County DA Fani Willis, Nathan Wade controversy

Willis' cellphone saga over relationship with special prosecutor

New cellphone evidence was introduced last week which could potentially provide evidence of a romantic relationship between Wade and Willis prior to the date they say it started.

Trump's team filed a response with the Fulton County Superior Court on Monday to Willis' denial following their original filing connected to the cellphone records.

Last week, Trump's attorneys, Steve Sadow, and Jennifer Little, submitted supplemental evidence, including an analysis of Wade's cellphone records in 2021. The records revealed 2,000 phone calls and 12,000 text messages between the pair that year. The records also suggested that Wade was at or very close to Willis' Hapeville residence at least 35 times.

Specifically, Trump's team asked their investigator to look at two specific dates and the associated phone calls, text messages, and cellular location data to demonstrate that Willis and Wade have not been truthful about spending the night together in Hapeville.

MORE: Fulton County DA Fani Willis paid in cash at Napa Valley winery, employee claims

What Willis and Wade deny about their relationship

Both Willis and Wade have testified that they "never" spent the night together at Willis' condominium in Hapeville.

Willis responded to the filing by stating that the records do not prove "in any way" the content of the communications between Wade and Willis and they do not prove that Wade was ever at any particular location or address. Willis also offered records indicating that she was not in Hapeville during some of the times that Wade was in the area.

Additionally, Willis is arguing that the supplemental evidence was not submitted properly, and the filing contained an "unqualified" opinion.

On Monday, a new document was filed with the Fulton County Superior Court, presenting Trump's reply to the state's response.

The reply begins by stating that the investigator they hired to analyze the records will not be offering "any opinion testimony" and will only be summarizing the data produced by AT&T in response to a "lawfully issued subpoena" and information he gathered regarding cell tower locations.

It goes on to cite cases where similar evidence has been used in other cases, including cases in Georgia.

Joyce Lupiani contributed to this report

Fulton CountyNews