Trump Georgia CaseDelay on 2nd Day of Testimony as Defense Seeks to Oust D.A.

“Lawyers for Donald J. Trump and his co-defendants are seeking to have Fani T. Willis disqualified, accusing her of a conflict of interest because of a personal relationship with a prosecutor she hired.

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The hearing is delving into whether a romantic relationship between the two main prosecutors created a conflict of interest.Credit...Pool photo by Alyssa Pointer

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Feb. 16, 2024, 9:31 a.m. ET13 minutes ago

13 minutes ago

Richard Fausset, Danny Hakim and Anna Betts

Here’s what to know from the second day of testimony.

A second day of testimony in a hearing that could put a major snag in the prosecution of Donald J. Trump in Georgia began with a surprise, as the prosecutors’ office decided not to call Fani T. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, back to the stand to resume combative testimony with defense lawyers seeking to disqualify her. 

Lawyers for Mr. Trump and his co-defendants were expected to move on to other witnesses on Friday, as the presiding judge considers whether Ms. Willis’s relationship with a special prosecutor whom she hired to manage the election interference case presents a conflict of interest. 

Thursday’s proceedings were marked by sharp exchangesbetween defense lawyers and Ms. Willis, who declared: “I’m not on trial. These people are on trial for stealing an election.”

Here are the details:

• The defense accuses Ms. Willis of benefiting financially from a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the prosecutor she hired to run the case against Mr. Trump and his allies, who are accused of a conspiracy to overturn the state’s 2020 election results. If they are disqualified, it would delay and possibly derail the Trump prosecution.

• The argument has been pressed primarily by Ashleigh Merchant, the lawyer for Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign official and a co-defendant in the case. Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade have acknowledged that they had a romantic relationship but said it had begun after he was hired on the case and that neither person had profited from it.

• Testimony could extend into next week. The judge, Scott McAfee, is not expected to rule immediately.

• Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade were grilled for hours on Thursdayabout their personal lives and finances, as defense lawyers tried to raise doubts that Ms. Willis had repaid Mr. Wade with cash for her share of expensive trips while they were dating, as they claim. Ms. Willis angrily accused the defense of spreading lies about her and Mr. Wade.”