As of: February 16, 2024, 12:53 p.m
By: Stefan Krieger
Comments
Press
Split
In the trial against Donald Trump, the accuser herself is being targeted.
Her personal relationship with a colleague gets her into trouble.
Atlanta – A case against former US President Donald Trump is currently underway in the US state of Georgia.
This was initiated by the responsible district attorney Fani Willis.
Now she finds herself exposed to accusations that – of course – come from the Trump camp.
Fani Willis must defend herself against allegations of misconduct in office.
At a court hearing in Atlanta on Thursday (February 15), she answered questions from the other side - she had originally tried to avoid appearing on the witness stand.
Willis is leading the trial in which Trump and other defendants are accused of attempting to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Investigations against Trump: Prosecutor in conflict of interest?
Trump's lawyers and a co-defendant say Willis and her colleague, prosecutor Nathan Wade, had a conflict of interest because of a "romantic relationship."
One allegation is that Willis improperly benefited financially because of the relationship.
Willis had previously acknowledged a personal relationship with Wade, but emphasized that there was no conflict of interest that would justify removing her from the case.
Fani Willis at the hearing in Atlanta.
© afp
The hearing on Thursday (February 15) was broadcast live on YouTube and US broadcaster
CNN
, which is not unusual in the US.
What was unusual, however, was the insight into the private life of Trump's accuser.
Willis appeared visibly upset and repeatedly accused the other side of lying or misrepresenting the facts.
Case against Trump could be canceled
The opposing side's lawyers focused, among other things, on the question of when exactly the relationship began and ended.
Willis hired Wade to work on the case in November 2021.
Charges were filed in August 2023. Wade and Willis both said their romantic relationship began in 2022 and ended in the summer of 2023.
However, the testimony of another witness calls this timeline into question.
If Willis is indeed excluded from the proceedings, it could have a significant impact on the case.
Her successor could decide again whether the case against Trump and the remaining 14 defendants will continue.
Four former running mates of the Republican presidential candidate for the 2024 US elections have already made a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty.
My news
2 hours ago
“If you don’t want us as Bavaria …”: Söder threatens to leave the Federal Republic of Germany – and calls for compulsory military service
No GDR conditions: Saxony's Prime Minister Kretschmer gives Robert Habeck a pass
24 mins ago
Russian media: Alexei Navalny is dead
“Are under pressure”: Habeck is making people sit up and take notice when it comes to electric cars
Lavrov on Ukraine war: Peace agreement “certainly impossible” read
Ukraine sinks Russian Crimean warship using Wehrmacht “wolf pack tactics”
The Democrat Willis is the favorite object of hatred of the ex-president and his supporters from the MAGA movement.
At a recent campaign appearance, Trump intentionally mispronounced her name Fani: “Fanny” colloquially means butt.
“She paid her boyfriend, who had no experience as a lawyer, almost a million dollars,” Trump claimed.
“And then they decided to go on beautiful Norwegian cruises.
He was very generous with our money.
These people are corrupt!”.
However, Donald Trump claims this about almost all Democrats - especially from incumbent President Joe Biden, against whom Trump will most likely run in the 2024 US elections.
(skr/dpa)