Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis defended her hiring of a prosecutor who led the racketeering case against former president Donald Trump

Last August, Willis’s office charged Trump and 18 others with racketeering for their alleged attempt to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election result

Trump and most of his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty, although four – including Sidney Powell, Trump’s former lawyer – have pleaded guilty and pledged to cooperate with prosecutors

Last Monday, Michael Roman, a former Trump staffer indicted in the case, asserted in legal filings that Willis has an ongoing romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, a prosecutor she hired in 2021 to lead the racketeering case

The filing claimed that Wade’s sealed divorce records prove they have an active relationship

The suit alleged Wade – a lawyer and former judge who has never led a major criminal prosecution before – was unqualified for the job and only got it because of his ties to Willis

It further alleged Wade has made $650,000 in the role, some of which he allegedly spent on vacations with Willis

On the basis of those allegations, Roman called for a judge to dismiss the racketeering lawsuit

On Sunday, while speaking at an Atlanta church, Willis denied acting improperly by hiring Wade

“I appointed three special counsels, as is my right to do, paid them all the same hourly rate,” she said, adding that Wade has “impeccable credentials”

She also suggested Wade – who is black – is facing scrutiny due to his race

“Is it that some will never see a black man as qualified, no matter his achievements?” Willis asked

Willis never referred to Wade by name and did not comment on her alleged relationship with him

In response to her allegation, Roman’s lawyer said, “This has absolutely nothing to do with the color of [Wade’s] skin”

“If there’s any question about the experience of Nathan Wade, I think you can just ask him if he’s ever filed a [racketeering] case or tried a felony case,” she added

The judge overseeing the case said on Friday he is awaiting Willis’s response to the allegations

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