In a recent development in the case against former President Donald Trump for election interference, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has admitted to having a "personal relationship" with the lead prosecutor she hired, Nathan Wade. However, both Willis and Wade deny that their relationship had any impact on the proceedings of the case.

Willis emphasized that there were no grounds to dismiss Trump's case or disqualify her from it, as she had not entered into a personal relationship with Wade when she appointed him as the lead prosecutor in 2021. In a 176-page filing submitted on Friday, Willis stated, "Although District Attorney Willis and Special Prosecutor Wade have been professional associates and friends since 2019, there was no personal relationship between them in November 2021 at the time of Special Prosecutor Wade's appointment."

To support her claims, Willis included a sworn affidavit from Wade, in which he confirmed their relationship status and corroborated the timeline provided by the DA. Wade wrote, "In 2022, District Attorney Willis and I developed a personal relationship in addition to our professional association and friendship."

This is the first time that Willis and Wade have publicly addressed their romance since Michael Roman, a co-defendant of Trump, alleged a conflict-of-interest in the case due to their alleged “clandestine” relationship. In response to Roman's motion to have the case against him dismissed and to bar Willis, Wade, and their offices from further prosecuting the case, Willis's team filed a tit-for-tat response on Friday.

Willis vehemently refuted Roman's claims, describing them as "baseless." She defended Wade's qualifications and highlighted his successful legal career, referring to him as an "exceptionally talented" litigator. In the court papers, Willis also pointed out that Roman's own defense lawyer, Ashleigh Merchant, was familiar with Wade's resume, as she had supported his campaign to become a Cobb County Superior Court judge in 2016. Exhibits attached to the filing included a photo of Merchant wearing a Wade campaign t-shirt and a social media post where she had described Wade as "ethical."

The admission of the personal relationship between Willis and Wade adds a new layer of complexity to the already contentious case against former President Trump. As the proceedings continue, it remains to be seen how this revelation will impact the outcome and whether it will influence public perception of the trial.