The attorney who revealed the affair between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and former special prosecutor Nathan Wade predicted on Monday the latest appeal to disqualify the district attorney will take up to six months, likely eliminating the possibility of the Georgia election case against former President Donald Trump going to trial before November.
Attorney Ashleigh Merchant said during a Monday appearance on Fox & Friends that she does not see “any way” Willis could receive a final confirmation she will not be disqualified from the Trump case in Georgia before the November elections.
“I don’t see any way this could happen before the election,” said Merchant, who represents Trump’s Georgia co-defendant Michael Roman.
The attorney noted, “The appellate process takes about six months once it’s initiated and we’re not even there yet.”
Judge Scott McAfee recently ruled that Willis should not be disqualified from her case against Trump, despite acknowledging the appearance of impropriety due to her relationship with Wade, who she appointed and paid more than $650,000 to oversee the case.
While Willis and Wade maintain their relationship began in early 2022, and that Willis repaid Wade for the luxurious vacations he financed using his company credit card, multiple defendants and witnesses claim the relationship started in 2019. This would mean Willis had a financial incentive to appoint Wade to the lucrative position.
McAfee ultimately ruled that Wade must leave the case for Willis to continue, but later allowed the defendants to appeal his decision.
Merchant explained an appeals court could immediately disqualify Willis, force McAfee to reconsider his decision not to disqualify, or decide against hearing the appeal.
Should the appeal be declined, said Merchant, “then it’s going to go up to the [Georgia] Supreme Court.”
“It’s not going to be decided quickly, it’s going to take at least a couple months for this to work its way through the system to determine whether or not she actually is disqualified,” explained Merchant.
The attorney also provided a response to Willis’ claim that she was not “embarrassed” by the disqualification proceedings against her, which the district attorney stated during a Saturday appearance on CNN.
“That was a little surprising, I think I would be embarrassed if I had an affair with a married man and it was on national TV,” said Merchant.
Regarding Willis’ claim that her “train is coming” after Trump, the defense attorney replied, “We’re ready when the case comes forward.”
Watch Merchant’s full remarks:
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ashleigh Merchant” by Ashleigh Merchant and “Mike Roman” is by Mike Roman.
