Now a developing story. Today, a Fulton County judge set
the scene for a potentially explosive hearing in the election
interference case against former President Donald Trump and others.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winnie is live now.
Mark, one witness could play a big role in efforts
to have the Fulton County DA's office disqualified from this
case.
Yeah, today's hearing set the stage for another hearing set
to begin
we expect on Thursday. And it sounds like we may
hear from DA Fonny Willis and election interference case special
prosecutor Nathan Wade in that hearing.
But it also sounds like how the defense efforts proceed
in an attempt to have the DA's office disqualified from
the election interference case may depend in significant part on
one other witness in particular.
Call it the hearing before the hearing.
And what Judge McAfee heard or ruled on today,
we expect will have a lot to do with who
we may be hearing from in a potentially explosive hearing
set to begin Thursday in the election interference case.
How can Mr. Wade not have relevant information to this
inquiry?
That is the real question here.
He probably has the most relevant information to this inquiry,
Same as Miss Willis. She probably has the most relevant
information to this inquiry.
Response to the accusations that were made.
The state presented the court with law that establishes that
even if all of the allegations were true and they're
not,
that is not a basis to either dismiss the indictment
or disqualify the District Attorney's office.
I think Miss Merchant has established
a good faith basis for relevance
and I don't see how Quaschal can
can be imposed here, defense lawyer Ashley Merchant says.
A ruling today by Judge Scott McAfee
means Fulton County District Attorney Fonnie Willis and election interference
Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade will have to testify in the
hearing set to begin Thursday concerning defense efforts to have
Miss Willis, Wade and the DA's office disqualified in part
because of her romantic relationship between Miss Willis and Wade
and travel for the two Wade paid for.
Miss Merchant says whether seven other people associated with the
District Attorney's office will have to testify
depends on what Miss Willis and Wade say and what
a key witness Miss
Merchant's team has found, attorney Terrence Bradley says in his
testimony.
In a document we obtained Friday,
Ashley and John Merchant alleged
Willis and Wade claim they did not have a personal
romantic relationship before Willis appointed Wade as a special prosecutor,
But Terrence Bradley will refute that claim.
Bradley is an attorney and a member of the Georgia
Bar.
Bradley and Wade were friends and business associates.
Bradley has non privileged personal knowledge that the romantic relationship
between Wade and Willis began prior to Willis being sworn
in as the District Attorney for Fulton County,
Georgia in January 2021. There is no personal interest on
behalf of the District Attorney or her office and the
prosecution of this defendant,
and there is no financial interest in the prosecution or
conviction of this defendant by the District Attorney's Office.
The travel that was taken
as represented in the affidavit was roughly equally divided between
the two of them in terms of responsibility
and there's no evidence that can be brought that would
dispute that.
Now. The judge discussed a number of other issues this
afternoon in court Friday.
We spoke to attorney Gabe Banks about his subpoena and
reported on his motion to quash.
My impression from what Judge McAfee said from the benches
that for now
banks will need to be available to testify,
but he can raise the issue again as things proceed.
Reporting live in downtown Atlanta.
Mark Winnie, Channel 2 Action News.