(NewsNation) — Terrence Bradley, the former divorce attorney for special prosecutor Nathan Wade, testified Tuesday during a hearing over whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be removed from a Georgia election interference case.
Although Bradley previously cited attorney-client privilege as his reason for refusing to answer questions during a two-day evidentiary hearing in February, Judge Scott McAfee ruled he must testify on topics not covered by that doctrine.
Bradley has been described as the “star witness” as McAfee decides whether Willis should be disqualified from trying an election case she brought against former president Donald Trump. Critics argue there’s a conflict of interest because of her romantic relationship with Wade.
Willis and Wade both testified under oath that they did not start dating until after the latter was hired as a special prosecutor in November 2021. However, on Tuesday, Ashleigh Merchant, the defense lawyer who represents Michael Roman, one of Trump’s co-defendants, tried creating a timeline for the court showing that the relationship started before that point.
Questioned by Merchant, Bradley repeatedly said in court he could not recall when Wade and Willis became a couple.
During a contentious two hours in court, Fulton County Deputy District Attorney Adam Abbate objected to Merchant’s line of questioning multiple times. In total, the state made over 50 objections. Merchant, meanwhile, accused Bradley of being coached by his own representation.
Merchant and Bradley had been friends before the trial, and allegedly talked about Wade and Willis’ relationship via text. On the stand Tuesday, Bradley said that’s all speculation.
In one text exchange read by Merchant, she asked Bradley if he thought Willis and Wade had been dating before he was hired, to which he replied “Absolutely.”
However, when asked under oath, Bradley said he did not have any “direct knowledge” of when the relationship started.
Another hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday. Both sides are expected to make closing arguments.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
