Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis took the stage at Atlanta’s Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on Sunday morning, delivering a heartfelt and passionate speech that seemed to acknowledge, for the first time, the affair allegations leveled against her last week. The event, held in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, provided Willis with a platform to address the controversy surrounding her, as well as to defend the special prosecutor she appointed for the election interference case against Donald Trump.
In her address, Willis humorously remarked, “I hope for y’all this week I don’t look like what I’ve been through.” The speech touched on the challenges she has faced as the Fulton County DA, addressing the recent affair allegations and the broader scrutiny she has encountered.
Former President Donald Trump’s co-defendant in the Georgia election interference case, Michael Roman, is seeking to dismiss the indictment against him and disqualify DA Willis. Roman alleges that Willis engaged in a romantic relationship with one of the top prosecutors she brought in for the case, potentially resulting in financial gain for both.
During her speech, Willis repeatedly referred to herself as “flawed” and “imperfect” while discussing the difficulties she has faced in her role. She emphasized feeling “isolation,” “loneliness,” and constant death threats that forced her out of her home. The emotional address included Willis reading a letter she wrote to God, expressing feelings of unworthiness for her position.
While not directly addressing the affair allegations, Willis defended the special prosecutor, Nathan Wade, without mentioning him by name. She highlighted his credentials and suggested that attacks on him were motivated by race. Willis questioned the criticism of bringing in multiple special prosecutors and emphasized that she paid them all the same hourly rate.
The court filing from Roman accuses Willis of potential fraudulent acts by failing to disclose the alleged relationship with Wade, asserting that she personally benefited from it. Trump’s attorney has indicated considering joining the complaint against Willis.
In response to Willis’s speech, Roman’s attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, pushed back against the suggestion that the allegations were racially motivated. She emphasized that the focus was on the alleged relationship and the financial arrangement with Wade.
The indictment against Roman, Trump, and others in the case involves charges related to their efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Willis’s investigation has faced criticism from Trump, who views it as politically motivated. The developments in the case continue to unfold as the legal proceedings progress.
