Testimony to Continue as Defense Seeks to Oust DA in Trump Georgia Case

A second day of testimony in a hearing that could put a major snag in the prosecution of former President Donald Trump in Georgia began with a surprise, as the prosecutors’ office decided not to call Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, back to the stand to resume combative testimony with defense lawyers seeking to disqualify her.

Lawyers for Trump and his co-defendants were expected to move on to other witnesses Friday, as the presiding judge considers whether Willis’ relationship with a special prosecutor whom she hired to manage the election interference case presents a conflict of interest.

Thursday’s proceedings were marked by sharp exchanges between defense lawyers and Willis, who declared: “I’m not on trial. These people are on trial for stealing an election.”

Here are the details:

— The defense accuses Willis of benefiting financially from a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the prosecutor she hired to run the case against Trump and his allies, who are accused of a conspiracy to overturn the state’s 2020 election results. If they are disqualified, it would delay and possibly derail the Trump prosecution.

— The argument has been pressed primarily by Ashleigh Merchant, the lawyer for Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign official and a co-defendant in the case. Willis and Wade have acknowledged that they had a romantic relationship but said it had begun after he was hired on the case and that neither person had profited from it.

— Testimony could extend into next week. Judge Scott McAfee is not expected to rule immediately.

— Willis and Wade were grilled for hours Thursday about their personal lives and finances, as defense lawyers tried to raise doubts that Willis had repaid Wade with cash for her share of expensive trips while they were dating, as they claim. Willis angrily accused the defense of spreading lies about her and Wade.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times .