Georgia prosecutor in Trump case fights testifying about relationship

Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis, who is overseeing the election interference case against former president Donald Trump, asked a judge to quash demands she testify about an alleged improper relationship with a lead prosecutor on the case.

Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, said in a court filing that one of Trump's co-defendants, Michael Roman, has subpoenaed her, special prosecutor Nathan Wade, and other prosecutors and investigators in her office to testify at a February 15 hearing focused on Willis' personal relationship with Wade.

Roman and other defendants are seeking to disqualify Willis' office and dismiss the charges, alleging that Willis benefited financially from her relationship with Wade, who she hired to help run the investigation and prosecution of Trump and his co-defendants.

Willis wrote in a court filing on Wednesday that there is "no factual basis that could reasonably justify requiring opposing counsel and other employees to be a witness in the case."

The filing called the subpoenas an attempt to gather evidence in support of "reckless allegations."

Willis admitted in a separate court filing on Friday that she had a "personal relationship" with Wade, but said it began after he was hired as a special prosecutor.

Willis and Wade denied any misconduct and rejected claims that their relationship posed a conflict of interest.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is expected to weigh the requests to disqualify Willis at the February 15 hearing.

Trump's legal woes

Trump and 14 allies have pleaded not guilty to racketeering and other charges as a part of what prosecutors allege was a conspiracy to overturn Trump's narrow defeat in Georgia following the 2020 election.

Four other defendants originally charged in the case have pleaded guilty in deals with prosecutors.

Judge Chutkan ruled last year that Trump is not immune from prosecution, and the former president lodged an appeal with a higher court.

Trump and his two eldest sons, Don Junior and Eric, are currently on trial in New York for business fraud, and the former president is scheduled to go on trial in Florida in May for alleged mishandling of top secret documents after he left the White House.