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Ashley Merchant Absolutely Buried Fani Willis in Today's Georgia Senate Hearing

https://youtu.be/VHWohvQTOGQ?si=RD5hhki8NX-WNs1b

Attorney Ashley Merchant spent over three hours testifying before the Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations regarding allegations against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. This committee, spearheaded by Republican Senator Bill Cowsert, was set up following a motion filed early January by a defendant in the Georgia election interference case, whom Merchant represents—Michael Roman.

During her testimony, Merchant delved into Fulton County's unusual approach of engaging outside counsel for numerous cases, highlighting that this practice was not common in other district attorney's offices across the state, except within the Attorney General's office. She underscored that the $5 million requested by Willis in September 2021 was allocated for staff augmentation rather than hiring Wade, who received over $700,000 for his involvement in the election case. Merchant pointed out the peculiarities in Wade's billing practices, particularly his method of charging for "team meetings" in time blocks instead of by the standard minute rates.

She contrasted Wade's substantial compensation with the significantly lesser amounts paid to other prosecutors, John Floyd and Anna Cross, noting Floyd's and Cross's detailed invoice submissions. Senator Cowsert raised inquiries regarding potential coordination between Wade and the White House, highlighted by Wade's inclusion of two meetings with White House counsel in his billings.

Merchant detailed the discovery of Willis and Wade's relationship, citing community sources and a conversation with Wade's former friend and law partner, Terrence Bradley, who revealed intimate details about the pair's relationship and their trips together.

The committee also examined the cellular data Merchant submitted as part of her evidence, discussing the investigative tools used and suggesting alternative methods Willis could employ to verify her innocence. The debate extended to the definition of conflict of interest, the nature of expenditures made by Willis and Wade, and the motivations behind Merchant's accusations, particularly through exchanges with Minority Whip Harold Jones, who challenged the sufficiency of Merchant's evidence.

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