Timeline: Fulton County DA Fani Willis, Nathan Wade controversy

Published January 23, 2024 4:24PM

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - An allegation by one of former President Trump's co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case is threatening to delay the prosecution of the former president and the remaining co-defendants. Former White House aide Michael Roman has accused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis of having an "improper, clandestine relationship" with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade and benefiting when Wade then paid for the two of them to go on vacations. 

Here is a timeline of what has happened so far:

Jan. 1, 2021: Willis assumes office as Fulton County district attorney after defeating her former boss in the Democratic primary and running unopposed in the November election.

Feb. 10, 2021: Willis sends a letter to top Georgia officials, informing them of her initiation of a criminal investigation into possible interference in the state's 2020 general election. In the letter, she instructs them to preserve evidence, without explicitly naming former President Donald Trump. The recipients of the letters include Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, Attorney General Chris Carr, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. 

Nov. 1, 2021: Willis hires Wade as a special prosecutor in the investigation. While she reportedly offered the job to several other Georgia attorneys, including former Gov. Roy Barnes and former federal prosecutor Gabe Banks, they declined due to the time the case would require and the politically incendiary nature of the case.

Nov. 2, 2021: Wade files for divorce against his wife, Joycelyn Wade, in Cobb County Superior Court.

Jan. 20, 2022: Wade requests Fulton County Superior Court to impanel a special purpose grand jury to investigate possible attempts to disrupt the 2020 election.

May 2, 2022: A special purpose grand jury is empaneled to investigate attempts by former President Donald Trump and his supporters to overturn his loss in Georgia. 

June 1, 2022: The special purpose grand jury is seated. They hear from 75 witnesses, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and Gov. Brian Kemp.

October-November 2022: On Oct. 4, Wade spends more than $1,300 for three American Airlines tickets to Miami for himself, Willis, and Clara Bowman, according to credit card statements. The statements also show more than $8,000 in charges from Royal Caribbean Cruises, Vacation Express, the Hyatt Regency in Aruba, and Norwegian Cruise Line. There are no names associated with those charges. 

Dec. 15, 2022: The special purpose grand jury issues a sealed report, one the foreperson says recommends indictments against more than a dozen people.

Jan. 9, 2023: Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who oversaw the special grand jury, states that the panel has completed its work and submitted a final report to him.

April 25, 2023: Wade spends $817 on Delta Air Lines tickets to San Francisco. His and Willis' names appear on the credit card statement. 

May 14, 2023: Wade spends $840 for what appears to be a stay at the DoubleTree hotel in Napa Valley. However, Willis' name does not appear on the credit card statement.

July 11, 2023: Fulton County grand jurors are sworn in to begin considering charges against former President Trump and his co-conspirators.

Aug. 14, 2023: Former President Donald Trump and 18 other people are indicted by a Fulton County grand jury, accused of scheming to illegally overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.

PREVIOUS: Georgia election probe timeline: From November 2020 to now

Jan. 8, 2024: Joycelyn Wade, through her attorney Andrea Hastings, attempts to serve Willis with a notice of deposition. The subpoena was presented to an employee at the Office of the Fulton County District Attorney.

Jan. 8, 2024: An attorney for defendant Michael Roman files a motion seeking to disqualify the DA’s office from the case because of an alleged romantic relationship between Willis and Wade. The court filing states that because Wade paid for trips they took together, Willis benefited financially from the arrangement. Roman’s lawyer, Ashleigh Merchant, asks for the Wades’ divorce records to be unsealed and also wants the charges against her client dropped. The DA’s office says they will reply in a court filing but doesn’t indicate when that will be. 

Jan. 12: U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) announces an investigation into Fulton County Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade.

Jan. 14: Willis defends Wade during a 35-minute speech at the historic Big Bethel AME Church. She calls him a "superstar, a great friend and a great lawyer," but does not confirm or deny a romantic relationship. She suggests racism is behind the accusations that he is not qualified to be a special prosecutor, noting that critics targeted Wade, who is Black, and not the two other special prosecutors on the Trump case, who are white.

Jan. 18: Willis seeks a protective order to stop her from having to give a deposition in the Wades’ divorce. Willis accuses Joycelyn Wade of "interfering" with the Trump prosecution and says her allegations are meant to harass and embarrass Willis. 

Jan. 19: Joycelyn Wade’s attorneys respond to Willis, attaching some of Nathan Wade’s credit card records to their court filing. The statements show that he purchased plane tickets for Willis and himself. Former President Trump's attorney Steven Sadow posts the court documents to his LinkedIn account. 

Jan. 19: Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis sends a letter to Willis demanding documents from her in an effort to determine whether county funds paid to Wade "were converted to your personal gain in the form of subsidized travel or other gifts."

Jan. 22: In a hearing, Cobb County Superior Court Judge Henry Thompson says the Wades’ divorce records were improperly sealed and agrees to unseal the records. He also issues a stay related to Willis' deposition, saying it doesn't make sense for her to be questioned before Wade. 

Jan. 22: Chairman of Georgia's Senate Committee on Transportation and Chief Deputy Whip Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) introduces legislation to establish the Senate Special Committee on Investigations to look into allegations of misconduct involving Willis. 

Jan. 31: Evidentiary hearing in the divorce case scheduled in Cobb Superior Court.

Feb. 2: Deadline given by Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee for Willis to respond to Roman’s motion.

Feb. 15: Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is scheduled to hold a hearing to consider Roman’s motion.