The former law partner of special prosecutor Nathan Wade returned to the stand as lawyers representing those accused of election interference hope to prove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis must be disqualified.
Terrance Bradley’s testimony has been highly anticipated. Judge Scott McAfee had ruled that certain communications he had with Wade while representing the special prosecutor would not be privileged, including any conversations about Wade’s relationship with Willis.
Willis is accused of creating a conflict of interest when she hired Wade for the election interference case being brought by Georgia against former President Donald Trump. Willis and Wade maintain that they became romantically involved after he was hired — a claim that has been called into question.
Attorney Ashleigh Merchant looked to impeach Bradley’s testimony by proving he had contradicted previous statements indicating he had more knowledge of Wade’s action than he has claimed in court.
Merchant brought up a number of correspondences they had about Willis and Wade’s relationship, including an email correspondence wherein Bradley responded “looks good” to a motion that said he was paid $74,000 and that Willis and Wade became involved “when she was still in magistrate court.”
Bradley confirmed that, when Merchant asked in a text exchange if the relationship started before Willis hired Wade, he said absolutely.
She also produced emails where Bradley said he knew Willis and Wade “took many trips to Florida” and a trip to California. Bradley mentioned that Wade had used his business card in the past and it might have been used for travel, but he was unable to give specific details. Merchant pressed Bradley on details of his conversation with Wade, including if the special prosecutor said he and Willis met at a rented office and if Wade had a garage door opener to one of Willis’ homes.
At one point, Merchant asked Bradley if he was looking to the state’s table for cues from Wade.
Attorney Steve Sadow brought up texts where Bradley said Willis and Wade met after she “left the DA’s office” and was “a judge in south Fulton” – noting that they met at a “municipal court CLE conference.” In court today, Bradley said his statements in the texts were speculation on his part before saying that Wade told him about meeting Willis at the conference.
Wade was married at the time of the conference, according to a text from Merchant that was included as a defense exhibit. Jocelyn Wade, the special prosecutor’s ex-wife, has said Wade had an inappropriate relationship with Willis.
Sadow questioned Bradley’s actions, wondering why “for some unknown reason ... you decide on your own to simply speculate and put it down in a text message instead of putting down what you actually knew.”
“That’s what you want the court to believe?” he asked.
POLITICO reports McAfee "has asked the lawyers to present legal arguments on the disqualification effort this Friday, with a ruling expected after that."
