In the wide array of legal battles surrounding former President Donald J. Trump, the latest twist involves Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor leading the election interference case against Trump in Georgia, and his divorce proceedings in Atlanta. A romantic relationship between Wade and his boss, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, dominated the headlines.

The saga began when Michael Roman, one of Trump’s co-defendants in the case, claimed in a filing that Wade and Willis were romantically involved and had taken vacations together, with some allegedly funded by Wade. Roman argued that this constituted a conflict of interest, potentially undermining the integrity of the prosecution against Trump and his allies.

Willis hired Wade, a lawyer in private practice, in 2021 to help run the Trump case, explaining she needed a trustworthy confidant for the role, The New York Times reported. Wade married his wife in 1997 and filed for divorce more than two years ago.

Willis has since admitted to a romantic relationship with Wade, The Daily Beast reported.

The prospect of Wade being compelled to address them in his divorce hearing raised significant speculation. However, a temporary agreement reached in the divorce case spared Wade from testifying, at least for the time being, NBC News reported. The situation has cast a shadow over Willis’s prosecution of Trump and his associates, with some legal experts debating the strength of Roman’s filing and its potential impact on the case. The controversy has led Fulton County to initiate an inquiry, requesting documents related to payments to special prosecutors, although the county commission lacks the authority to remove the elected district attorney.

In a separate development, former Fulton County DA employee Amanda Timpson exposed alleged misuse of a federal grant, further complicating Willis’s position. Timpson revealed that part of a nearly $500,000 grant intended for youth empowerment and gang prevention was used for unauthorized purposes, including travel and computers. Timpson alleges her whistleblowing led to her termination, The New York Post reported.

Recent revelations indicate that Willis and Wade have been subpoenaed to testify about their alleged relationship, underscoring the ongoing legal turmoil surrounding the Trump prosecution. While Willis has admitted to a personal relationship with Wade, she denies any financial conflict of interest, asserting that their personal interactions did not influence the case against Trump and his co-defendants.

Legal proceedings against Trump in Georgia remain unresolved. Prosecutors have proposed a start date of Aug. 5.

Nathan Wade, Wade And Campbell, https://wadeandcampbell.com/nathan-j-wade/Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis poses among boxes containing thousands of primal cases at her office in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)