In a dictionary of idioms, next to “no love lost” would be pictures of Fulton County, Ga. District Attorney Fani Willis and defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant side by side.
For more than a month, Willis has endured criticism and conjecture regarding her personal relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, thanks to a motion filed by alleged Donald Trump co-conspirator Michael Roman. Roman is one of 18 people Willis’ office indicted last year on charges that they interfered with the 2020 presidential election.
Merchant, the attorney representing Roman, has led the charge of public and salacious allegations against Wills. As such, the latter came eager to testify Wednesday in an Atlanta court that is set to determine if conflict of interest will prevent Willis’ office from continuing to work on the Trump case.
Willis apparently had the opportunity to avoid testimony but made no efforts to do so, urging her lawyer to allow her to speak her piece.
“I’ve been very anxious to have this conversation with you today, so I ran to the courtroom,” Willis told Merchant at the beginning.
Here are a few of the most explosive moments from Willis’ spicy testimony with Merchant:
“It’s ridiculous you lied on me on Monday, yet here we still are.”
Willis’ animus for Merchant was clear as soon as the recording devices started. Just a few minutes into the testimony, Merchant’s team wanted to deem Willis a hostile witness, to which she replied, “I very much want to be here, so I am not a hostile witness.”
“We used to be in a day and time where we had ‘60 Minutes’ and people verified information and we had this great reporting, but it seems today a lawyer writes a lie and it’s printed for the world to see,” Willis said.
“You tried to implicate I slept with him..”
Merchant spent much of the testimony attempting to get to the bottom of Willis’ intimate relationship with Wade – a topic that stirred considerable fire in Willis. Merchant attempted to confirm that she and Wade met at a conference in October 2019, prompting Willis to recall comments Merchant made publicly about their meeting.
“In one of your motions, you tried to implicate I slept with him at that conference, which I find to be extremely offensive,” Willis said.
The judge warns Willis
Hon. Scott McAfee admonished Willis more than once for talking over Merchant and other counsel. The first time was as Willis became visibly irate and confused during Merchant’s line of questioning regarding whether Wade visited South Fulton, Ga. residence in 2020.
Agitated by Merchant, Willis turned her explanation to McAfee and continued to talk over him before he calmly cautioned her.
“Ms. Willis, that’s going to be my first time out to caution you,” McAfee said. “You have to listen to the questions as asked. And if this happens again and again, I’m gonna have no choice but to strike your testimony.”
“It is a lie! It is a lie”
When Willis was asked about the end of her romantic relationship with Wade, Merchant attempted to clarify if Wade ever visited her at her home. Willis took the opportunity to remind Merchant that she holds her responsible for her need to leave her home for fear of her safety.
“Let’s be clear, because you’ve lied. Let me tell you which one you lied in,” as Wills held up document packets. “I think you lied here, I think you lied right here.”
Willis interrupted counsel’s attempts to stop her, causing her to raise her voice and prompting McAfee to issue a 5-minute break.
“No no no, judge, this is the truth! It is a lie! It is a lie!” she yelled before slamming the documents to the table.
“You’re confused…you think I’m on trial”
Merchant stated that Willis’ office refused to send her travel records, to which Willis made a point to make clear that she made the decision.
“I object to you getting records,” Willis said to Merchant. “You’ve been intrusive into people’s personal lives.”
“You’re confused…you think I’m on trial. These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. I’m not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial.”
“Don’t be cute with me…”
In her attempts to prove malfeasance, Merchant tried to get to the bottom of financial transactions between Wade and Willis.
“The only money you’ve ever given him outside of a contract is cash,” Merchant said, to which Willis responded, “I didn’t give him money in a contract, so that was cute, but I didn’t give him money in a contract.”
“We’re gonna answer it since you said it. He worked more hours than he was paid and the county paid him for the work that he did, so don’t be cute with me and think you’re not gonna get an answer.”