But in a heated hearing today, a defiant and confrontational Willis responded fiercely, accusing Roman's lawyers of spreading lies.
“You're confused. You think I'm on trial. These people are on trial for trying to steal the 2020 election,” she added, refocusing on Trump's accusations. “I'm not on trial, no matter how much you try to put me on trial.”
Trump consults with a lawyer during the hearing.credit: AP
Willis acknowledged that she had a romantic relationship with Wade, but said there was no financial or personal conflict of interest that constituted a legal basis for disqualification.
She told the court in great detail that she kept the cash in her home and that she paid her own way by paying Wade for any trips he booked.
“I don't need anything from a man,” she said. “A man is not a plan. A man is a companion. And so there has always been tension in our relationship, and that is why I will return his money to him. I don’t need anyone to pay my bills.”
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Willis and Wade insisted their romance began in 2022 — after he was hired to help run Trump's November 2021 presidential election interference case. Willis said the “physical” relationship ended before Trump was indicted in August 2023.
“We were friends; we broke up before November 2021. In November 2021 I hired him. I don't consider our relationship to become romantic until early 2022,” Willis said.
However, the timing was contradicted by Willis' “former good friend” Robin Bryant-Yerty, who testified Thursday that she had “no doubt” that the couple had a romantic relationship that began in 2019.
On the witness stand this morning, Wade also stuck to the timing of their relationship. When asked about vacations the couple took to places like Belize, Aruba, Napa Valley, California and Tennessee, he also insisted that the couple split their costs and that Willis often insisted on paying her own way in cash.
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When asked if he continued a personal relationship with Willis after that, he replied: “Are you asking me if I had sex with the prosecutor?”
“We are very good friends. Probably closer than ever because of these attacks. But if you ask me about specific sex, the answer is no.”
The televised hearing – which is expected to last two days – was another sign of an unusual election that will take place in the courtroom as well as on the campaign trail.
The Georgia trial accuses the US President and 18 of his allies of being linked to an alleged “criminal enterprise” aimed at overturning the result to stop Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 elections.
But if Trump and his co-defendants succeed in getting Willis dismissed, some fear it could derail the entire case, which has not yet had a trial date set.
Fulton County Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade testifies.credit: AP
Meanwhile, in Manhattan, the secret money case will be held next month and take up to six weeks, becoming the first criminal trial Trump will face.
The former president's lawyers had sought to postpone the trial at today's session, arguing that it would unfairly interfere with the former president's bid to return to the White House.
Trump repeated this as he entered the courtroom, and told reporters: “I'm running for election. How can you run for election when you're sitting in a courtroom in Manhattan all day?”
The New York case accuses Trump of orchestrating a hush-money scheme to pay porn star Stormy Daniels to quell damaging sexual allegations on the eve of the 2016 election.
The former president denied all the accusations against him. The hearings continue.
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