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By Rachel Dobkin
Weekend Reporter
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Supporters of former President Donald Trump's MAGA movement pounced on the testimony of Robin Bryant-Yeartie, a longtime friend of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, that took place during a court hearing Thursday.
Willis has been under fire for a "personal relationship" with one of the prosecutors on her team, Nathan Wade. The DA's office is litigating a case against Trump and 18 co-defendants for allegedly conspiring to overturn Joe Biden's 2020 election win in Georgia. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and claims that the case is politically motivated.
Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign staffer and one of the co-defendants in the case, first brought the allegations of Willis and Wade's relationship. Roman and other co-defendants, including Trump, are attempting to disqualify Willis and get the charges dropped.
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Wade said in an affidavit after the DA's office started investigating the case that he and Willis "developed a personal relationship" in 2022.
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But during Thursday's hearing to hear arguments over motions to disqualify Willis, Bryant-Yeartie, a former DA office employee, said that Willis and Wade's relationship started shortly after they met at a conference in October 2019. Willis and Wade said that their relationship did not begin until after she hired Wade in November 2021.
While Bryant-Yeartie was on the stand via video call, Trump attorney Steve Sadow asked her if Willis told her that she and Wade were in a relationship in 2020, to which Yeartie replied: "Yes."
"In the year of 2021?" Sadow asked. Bryant-Yeartie responded, "Yes."
Bryant-Yeartie also said that she saw Willis and Wade "hugging, kissing, just affection" before he was hired.
Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign, Trump's lawyer, and Willis' office via email for comment. Roman's lawyer's office was also contacted for comment through an online form.
MAGA supporters were quick to react to Bryant-Yeartie's testimony on social media.
"BOMBSHELL! Fani Willis lied! She must be disqualified!!!" GOP consultant Alex Bruesewitz, a Trump supporter, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Conservative activist Laura Loomer called Willis and Wade's relationship a "conflict of interest" while reacting on X to Bryant-Yeartie's testimony.
"A friend of Fulton County's 'Get Trump' DA, Fani Willis, testifies that the illicit affair between Fani and secret lover Nathan Wade began in 2019. Earlier reports suggested the affair started in 2022," conservative commentator Charlie Kirk posted.
Update 2/15/24, 12:20 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 2/15/24, 2:45 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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