Fani Willis has ‘damaged her reputation’: Byron York
Harold Ford Jr., Byron York and Olivia Beavers discuss how Fani Willis is facing potential removal from former President Trump’s Georgia case on ‘Special Report.’
Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis was ridiculed on social media Thursday after what many critics considered to be embarrassing testimony.
Willis took to the witness stand at an evidentiary hearing regarding her relationship with the lead prosecutor Nathan Wade whom she hired to help bring the election racketeering case against former President Trump. Defense attorney Ashley Merchant and her client Michael Roman, Trump's co-defendant in the case, alleged in court filings last month that Willis should be disqualified from the case, claiming that she financially benefited from hiring Wade because of their personal relationship.
Her testimony was marked with notable hostility on Thursday, with Willis calling some of the allegations "dishonest" and "extremely offensive." At one point, Willis held up a printed copy of the allegations against her in both hands and turned to the judge yelling, "This is a lie!"
The situation became so heated at one point the judge issued a warning to Willis.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testifies during a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse on February 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Alyssa Pointer-Pool/Getty Images)
Willis also called defense attorney Merchant's interests "contrary to democracy."
'BOMBSHELL' WITNESS TESTIMONY MAY LEAD TO FANI WILLIS' DISQUALIFICATION FROM CASE: CIVIL RIGHTS ATTY
As clips emerged on X, some figures mocked Willis’ conduct, considering it disqualifying on its own.
"The way Willis has conducted herself in this hearing is jarring. That she was in charge of one of the most consequential legal trials in American history should terrify anyone, no matter what they think of Trump," Washington Free Beacon reporter Drew Holden wrote.
The Spectator editor at large Ben Domenech remarked, "This feels like Stacey Abrams all over again. Someone who's going to lose and then be held up as a political martyr, brought down out of racial bias and woman shaming by a white blonde lady lawyer who caught some hot gossip."
"If the SNL writers were not partisan hacks, this Fani Willis testimony would make a golden cold open," OutKick writer Bobby Burack commented.
Fulton County DA Fani Willis gave what many considered to be hostile testimony. (Getty Images)
Newsbusters managing editor Curtis Houck said, "Fani Willis is losing her mind, hoping the aggrieved, distressed angle can save her tail."
"Fani Willis should hire a lawyer. And by that I don't mean hiring her beau as a special prosecutor, I mean hiring someone competent as her criminal defense attorney," Internet Accountability Project senior counsel Will Chamberlain advised.
Podcast host Mike Sperrazza declared, "This is pure comedy gold."
"This is turning into a right wing parody of how Trump’s Georgia case would be handled," Washington Free Beacon senior investigative reporter Joe Gabriel Simonson wrote.
"Fani Willis Live - Everyone's new favorite afternoon host show," The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller summarized.
TRUMP CALLS 'BADLY TAINTED' FULTON COUNTY CASE 'A SCAM' AFTER DA FANI WILLIS' COURTROOM DRAMA
Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis testified about her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. (Getty Images)
At one point, presiding Judge Scott McAfee called a five-minute recess to apparently let tempers cool down.
When court was back in session, he told lawyers to stop "talking over each other" and cautioned Willis, saying, "We have to listen to the questions as asked. And if this happens again and again, I'm going to have no choice but to strike your testimony."
Willis is expected to return for further testimony on Friday.
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A former Atlanta prosector says Willis was "belligerent" in her testimony Thursday against allegations she had an "improper" affair with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
John Malcolm, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Atlanta, told Fox News Digital in a statement the "highlight" of the "wild" evidentiary hearing on Thursday was Willis' testimony.
"She has been belligerent and argumentative. It is hard to tell what impact this will have on Judge McAfee as he evaluates her credibility," Malcolm said.
Fox News' Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
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