In a revealing turn, Nathan Wade, the embroiled former Fulton County special prosecutor in the case against ex-President Donald Trump, broke his silence on the workplace romance with District Attorney Fani Willis that cast a cloud over their professional conduct. In an exclusive with ABC News, Wade described the inner-office affair as typical of American workplace culture, stating, "Workplace romances are as American as apple pie," while conceding the private matter may have unfairly diverted attention from the legal battle ahead.
Wade's candid discussion follows a consequential decision by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee. The judge ruled earlier that either Wade or Willis would need to decisively step aside from the high-profile Trump investigation because of the "significant appearance of impropriety" the romance introduced. Opting to resign, Wade told ABC News he did so to "move this case forward as quickly as possible," his love for democracy compelling him to make a sacrifice in service of a swifter resolution. His sentiments quickly made waves across media platforms, including an article by WSBTV.
While acknowledging his relationship with Willis, which both have said ended last summer, Wade regretted that it became "the focal point of this very important prosecution," as he expressed to ABC News. McAfee, however, had found "insufficient evidence" that their romance birthed an actual conflict of interest in the case. Still, the situation prompted questions regarding professional boundaries and legal ethics, especially given the gravity of the case at hand.
Amidst the turmoil, Trump and other defendants anxiously move to challenge McAfee's decision, with appeals for the removal of Willis as well circling within the Georgia Court of Appeals. The former special prosecutor confided to journalist Linsey Davis that he had considered momentarily putting the relationship "on pause".
The saga continues to unfold with Willis praising Wade for his "professionalism and dignity" upon his resignation, a sentiment echoed in Fox5 Atlanta's report. Meanwhile, the former president leveraged Wade's departure to launch criticism via Truth Social, drawing parallels between Wade's resignation and what he termed as the "disgrace" of another special counsel investigating Trump-related matters.
