Ashleigh Merchant, Willis’ attorney, questioned Nathan Wade, Willis’ lover and special counsel, about trips they took together. The questioning was meant to determine if Willis’ relationship and love for Nathan Wade would constitute a conflict of interests that would disqualify Willis from investigating and prosecuting Donald Trump, and 18 other co-defendants.
Merchant asked Wade for confirmation of specific trips that he would be taking in 2023. Wade admitted to having taken trips to Belize and California during that year. Wade claimed that he had paid for his trip using Capital One’s credit card, and Willis reimbursed him for some of the costs.
Wade claimed that the trip was Willis’ birthday present, but he had to pay for it until she reimbursed him. He said that she would “limit her transactions” for safety reasons. However, he did not elaborate. Merchant did not pursue this admission further.
Wade admitted that Willis did not reimburse him for the exact half of his expenses on their trip to Napa Valley, California. However, she paid for their excursions. Wade admits that the “expenses kind of balanced out” during their trip to Napa Valley.
Wade said that as consenting adults they did not parse expenses and divide costs exactly in half. Wade described Willis as a “proud woman”, provoking an objection from attorneys of the district attorney’s offices, which was immediately overruled by Judge Scott McAfee.
Willis also booked a trip for Wade and Willis to Miami. Wade claimed that he did not pay back the money in cash, but that by paying for her dinner during that trip he had balanced his expenses. Willis was directly responsible for paying for only one trip to the hearing.
Wade asked Merchant about cruises he had booked. One of the trips he took included Willis and his mother, and another was with his sisters. The cruise was for Wade’s mom to celebrate her retirement. Both mother and son went on some excursions without Willis.
Wade denied any knowledge of a rental cabin in Tennessee. He admitted that he took Willis on “day trips” in Tennessee. They would drive across state lines, eat lunch out of sight from the locals, and then drive back to Atlanta. He denied that he had taken similar trips in North Georgia.
As a metro Atlantan for over 40 years, I find it hard to believe that they drove from Atlanta down to Tennessee and then drove back. Wade may not be lying, but it’s hard to believe that they drove to Tennessee, ate lunch, and then drove back.
Wade said that he and Willis were not accompanied on their trips by any staff from the district attorney’s offices. It’s unlikely that anyone expected them to be accompanied. We will keep you informed if any new information is revealed during the hearing on Thursday afternoon.
