Georgia
Judge says DA in Trump election case could be 'disqualified,' misconduct hearing 'must' occur
The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s Georgia election interference case says that misconduct allegations leveled against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis “could result in disqualification,” and that a hearing on the matter “must” occur.
Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee made the remarks at the start of a hearing Monday to determine whether Willis, prosecutor Nathan Wade, and others will have to testify Thursday during a hearing the judge had scheduled to hear arguments on the matter.
Willis and Wade had sought to have the Thursday hearing canceled, but the judge’s remarks suggested it will proceed as planned.
Wills and Wade, along with a number of employees in the DA’s office, have been subpoenaed to testify Thursday by Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, who last month filed a motion seeking to dismiss the election charges against him and disqualify Willis on the grounds that she allegedly engaged in a “personal, romantic relationship” with Wade, one of her top prosecutors in the election case, which allegedly resulted in financial gain for both of them.
A subsequent court filing from Willis admitted to the relationship but denied that there was any financial conflict of interest that would disqualify her from the case. Roman then accused the DA of misrepresenting in that filing aspects of the relationship, including when it began.
“Because I think it’s possible that the facts alleged by the defendant could result in disqualification, I think an evidentiary hearing must occur to establish the record on those core allegations,” Judge McAfee said during Monday’s hearing.
Arguing for the DA’s office, Fulton County prosecutor Anna Cross urged the judge to quash the subpoenas. While she acknowledged that the state has not interviewed the potential witnesses, Cross said, “What they would say they would not in any way support the wild speculation that was included in this motion.”
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis appears before Judge Scott McAfee for a hearing in the 2020 Georgia election interference case at the Fulton County Courthouse on Nov. 21, 2023 in Atlanta.
Dennis Byron-Pool/Getty Images, FILE
Cross said that any of the costs incurred when Wade and Willis traveled together were evenly split and do not present a financial conflict as the defense alleges.
“This is a serious case. These are serious charges,” Cross said, later adding, “The defense is bringing you gossip … and the court should not condone that practice.”
An attorney for Roman pushed back, telling the judge that the witnesses have information that is “relevant” to the allegations.
Attorney Ashleigh Merchant said Willis and Wade have the “most relevant” information and that a former Wade business associate has information that Willis and Wade’s personal relationship “predated” Wade being hired on the case, which would contradict the DA’s filing.
“He has firsthand knowledge that this relationship predated” Wade being hired, Merchant said of the associate, Terrence Bradley.
Cross responded that she would be “shocked” if Merchant was able to prove that, and that she doesn’t “believe that’s true.”
“The evidence would be that the timeline that’s being represented is either mistaken … or simply fabricated,” Cross said.
In an earlier filing, Willis’ office asked the judge to quash the subpoenas to her, Wade, the DA’s office employees, and Wade’s business associate, calling the effort “harassment and disruption.” She has also asked the judge to cancel the upcoming evidentiary hearing altogether.
Willis has argued there is “no factual basis” that “could reasonably justify requiring” her and a number of her employees to become witnesses in the case, and accused Roman of “an attempt to conduct discovery in a (rather belated) effort to support reckless accusations.”
“Harassment and disruption of this type should not be entertained,” the filing said.
Wade also filed a motion seeking to quash a subpoena for his bank records, and a former DA’s office employee is also seeking to quash a subpoena issued to her.
Trump has joined in on the effort to disqualify Willis and dismiss his charges, accusing the DA of violating her office’s ethics obligations with statements she made at a church in the wake of the allegations.
Trump, Roman, and 17 others pleaded not guilty in August to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia.
Four defendants in the case subsequently took plea deals in exchange for agreeing to testify against other defendants.
Georgia
Georgia football star Rodarius Thomas being held without bail after arrest on family violence charges
Rodarius “Rara” Thomas will be away from the Georgia football team for the foreseeable future. The Bulldogs wide receiver was suspended indefinitely after he was booked into jail around 3:20 a.m. Friday, Athens-Clarke County jail records show.
Thomas was arrested on charges of cruelty to children and battery. He is being held without bail.
Thomas’ arrest marks the latest in a string of legal issues involving various members of the powerhouse college football team over the past several months.
This week’s arrest marks Thomas’ second in the past 18 months. University of Georgia Police arrested the wide receiver in January 2023 on a felony charge of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor count of family violence battery.
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Georgia wide receiver Rara Thomas was arrested on charges of cruelty to children and battery early Friday, July 26, 2024, in Athens, Ga., adding to the team’s recent legal woes. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
Those charges were later dropped when Thomas entered a pretrial diversion program. Details about Friday’s arrest were not immediately available.
Georgia Athletic Association spokesperson Steven Drummond said the situation involving Thomas “is a pending legal matter. We will have no further comment at this point.”
TWO GEORGIA FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARRESTED ON BACK-TO-BACK NIGHTS ON RECKLESS DRIVING CHARGES
Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart spoke at Southeastern Conference media days July 16 about attempts to address repeated driving offenses by his players.
A Georgia Bulldogs helmet during the fourth quarter of a game against the Missouri Tigers at Sanford Stadium Nov. 4, 2023, in Athens, Ga. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Smart said players have been suspended and fined through the collective that provides name, image and likeness (NIL) payments to the school’s athletes. Smart’s policy is to not make public announcements when players are suspended.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s right to go down to the town square and publicly shame kids,” Smart said at SEC media days earlier this month. “When that happens, they go through a lot. And there’s a lot of remorse from these young men who’ve made mistakes. But our job is to educate. Continue to grow these young men.”
A team official confirmed the suspension of Thomas.
Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
The Bulldogs open the season in Atlanta Aug. 31 in a matchup with the Clemson Tigers.
Georgia players have been involved in 24 driving-related violations (DUI, reckless driving or speeding), The Atlanta-Journal Constitution has reported, including a crash that killed a player and a recruiting staffer in January 2023.
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Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were killed in a car crash on Jan. 15, 2023, just days after the Bulldogs won the national title game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A Georgia woman is facing murder charges after a 4-year-old boy died inside of a car, authorities say.
On July 24, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrestedKelsey Monaco, 30, a Fitzgerald resident, about 154 miles west of Savannah. The Fitzgerald Police Department asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into the death of the child.
Investigators said the child left his apartment unsupervised and made his way inside of a car.
The 4-year-old was then found unresponsive inside the car. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
Monaco was taken into custody and booked at the Ben Hill County Jail.
USA TODAY reached out to authorities to find out Monaco’s relationship to the child and if the child died because the car was hot, but we have not heard back.
‘This can’t be real’: He left his daughter alone in a hot car for hours. She died.
Georgia woman charged with murder, investigation ongoing
Monaco is currently in custody at the Ben Hill County Jail.
Arrest records show that Monaco is facing the following charges:
- 1 count, first-degree child cruelty
- 1 count, felony murder
This investigation into the 4-year-old’s death remains active and ongoing. When the investigation is complete, the case will be transferred to the Cordelle Judicial District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, authorities said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fitzgerald Police Department at 229-426-5000 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Perry at 478-987-4545. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.
The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting a growing number of cases of dengue fever infections in Georgia.
The agency says the disease is the most common mosquito-borne infection worldwide.
There have been almost 2,900 cases of the viral infection in the United States so far in 2024 – nearly as many as were reported in all of 2023. The CDC says there has also been a record number of cases worldwide.
In Georgia, there have been 20 reported cases – up from 16 earlier in July.
What is dengue?
Spread by mosquitoes, most cases of dengue in the United States are associated with travel to areas like the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, or other areas with high risk for tourists.
The CDC says most people never know if they have dengue because of a lack of symptoms.
For the 1 in 4 people who do feel sick after becoming infected, symptoms include fever, headache, skin itching and rash, vomiting, and muscle and joint pains.
In rare cases, people may get severe dengue, a medical emergency that can quickly get worse. Symptoms of this include belly pain, persistent vomiting, a bleeding nose or gums, and vomiting blood.
If you have any symptoms, talk to your doctor and share your recent travel history.
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