The judge overseeing Georgia’s election interference case against former President Donald Trump is hearing closing arguments Friday on a motion to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office.

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The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that the court hearing could clear the way for a resolution to the scandal that’s “overshadowed Fulton’s election interference case for the last two months.”

Attorneys for Donald Trump and eight of his co-defendants have accused Willis of beginning a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade before hiring him as special prosecutor, creating a conflict of interest. Both have acknowledged the relationship but denied any wrongdoing, saying their relationship began after Wade was hired.

Hearings regarding the motion to remove Willis from the case have focused on trips she went on with Wade “when they were in a romantic relationship,” The AJC’s Tamar Hallerman writes. The defense has argued that Willis and Wade “improperly benefitted financially from the case,” Hallerman adds.

Judge Scott McAfee heard testimony Wednesday from Terrence Bradley, Wade’s former law partner and divorce attorney who was billed as a “star witness”, Cox Media Group’s National Content Desk (NCD) reports. In text messages read in court, Bradley told one of the attorneys involved in the case that Willis and Wade began their romantic relationship while serving as local judges before Willis became district attorney. However, he said on the stand that his texts were “speculation” and that he did not know when their relationship began.

In fiery testimony last month, Willis denied any wrongdoing, saying that her romantic involvement with Wade began in early 2022 and ended in the summer of 2023, NCD reporter Theresa Seiger writes. Willis accused attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who led the effort to have her removed from the case, of being “intrusive into people’s personal lives.”

“You’re confused,” she said. “You think I’m on trial. These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. I’m not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial.” Read more here.

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