Nathan Wade, the former Fulton County special prosecutor involved in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump, spoke out for the first time Sunday since resigning from the case after a public disqualification battle over his relationship with District Attorney Fani Willis.
Wade, who resigned from the case last month following a judge’s ruling, conceded he had certain regrets about the relationship but defended the integrity of the case against Trump and others moving forward.
“Workplace romances are as American as apple pie,” Wade told ABC News’ Linsey Davis in an exclusive sit-down interview. “It happens to everyone. But it happened to the two of us.”
“Do you regret it?” Davis asked.
“I regret that that private matter became the focal point of this very important prosecution,” Wade responded. “This is a very important case.”
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks at a press conference next to prosecutor Nathan Wade after a Grand Jury brought back indictments against former president Donald Trump and his allies in their attempt to overturn the state’s 2020 election results, in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023.
Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters, FILE
“I hate that my personal life has begun to overshadow the true issues in the case,” he continued.
More of the interview is set to air on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday morning.
Wade’s resignation from the case came hours after Judge Scott McAfee declined to outright disqualify Willis, but ruled that either she or Wade must step aside from the case due to a “significant appearance of impropriety” stemming from their romantic relationship that occurred while they were prosecuting the case.
McAfee determined there was “insufficient evidence” that an actual conflict of interest existed.
Trump and other defendants have sought an appeal of the judge’s ruling, seeking the removal of Willis as well. The Georgia Court of Appeals has not yet determined if they will take up the appeal.
Willis and Wade testified that their relationship began in early 2022 and ended in the summer of 2023, after he was hired for the case in November 2021.
Asked by Davis if he thought to put the relationship “on pause” until after the case is over given “democracy is on the line,” Wade conceded he did — but that “the feelings are so strong.”
“At some point, once that bond is there, and if democracy is on the line, as has been described, do you say maybe we pause this until after the case is over?” Davis asked.
“Absolutely, absolutely. I’ll concede that that could have been, an approach,” said Wade, who has since returned to private practice. “But there again, when you are in the middle of it, these feelings are developing and you get to a point where the feelings are, are so strong that, you know, you start to want to do things that really are none of the public’s concern.”
Four defendants in the case have since taken deals and pleaded guilty. Trump and the remaining 14 defendants have pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set.