WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – A judge ruled Friday that Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis can stay on the Georgia election interference case against former president Donald Trump but only with one major condition: that her former romantic partner who she hired to work the case resigns.
That ruling came after weeks of dramatic courtroom arguments between the two sides.
Judge McAfee said there was no conflict that would disqualify Willis from the case.
However, he found “the appearance of impropriety” between Willis and Wade, whom she hired as a special prosecutor to lead the case and with whom she was also romantically involved.
The judge said his ruling does not condone the “tremendous lapse in judgment” by Willis or her “unprofessional manner” of testimony during a previous evidentiary hearing.
Earlier this year, one of Mr. Trump’s co-defendants filed a motion to disqualify Willis alleging she had an inappropriate, romantic relationship with Wade whom she later hired to work on the case against Trump.
The motion accuses Willis and Wade of profiting significantly from the case at taxpayers’ expense.
Willis and Wade both denied that but admitted to the romantic relationship.
Willis hasn’t made her decision official yet, but the decision is likely an easy one.
If her entire staff gives up the case, it could potentially take several months to appoint a new prosecutor, who will then decide what charges, if any, to keep in place against the former president.
