Special prosecutor Nathan Wade will remove himself from the Donald Trump election interference.
On Friday, Judge Scott McAfee ruled that District Attorney Fani Willis could remain on the case only if her Wade stepped down. The decision came after the romantic relationship between Willis and Wade was put on display. The pair were involved for over a year while the Trump case was being investigated. Both sat for court hearings to answer questions about their time together, with lawyers for Trump demanding that Willis be removed from the case. Willis snapped at attorneys for seemingly trying to paint her as a criminal of sorts several times on the stand. McAfee stated at the end of February that he would make a decision.
In a statement obtained by NBC News, Wade wrote, “I hereby offer my resignation, effective immediately,” in an effort “to move this case forward as quickly as possible.”
McAfee’s ruling came days after he dismissed six counts against Trump, a move that sparked chatter and anxiety about the future of the case. However, the judge introduced an alternative.
As part of his own explanation, which was shared by NPR, McAfee wrote, “An outsider could reasonably think that the District Attorney is not exercising her independent professional judgment totally free of any compromising influences. As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist.”
It’s unclear who will now replace Wade on the case.
