Fulton County DA Fani Willis threatened to initiate criminal proceedings against the ex-wife of her boyfriend Nathan Wade, the chief prosecutor in Trump Georgia case, a new ethics complaint, filed with the Georgia State Bar, claims.
The complaint, filed by Atlanta resident, Stephen Kramer, also alleges that Willis and Wade misspent state funds, Newsweek reported Friday. Kramer is asking the Georgia state bar to sanction Willis or disbar her from practicing law.
Kramer states in his complaint that he has “no legal experience” and has never met Willis, Wade, or any staff members of the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. He said his allegations are based on open sources, legal rulings and his previous ethics filing.
According to Kramer, Willis falsely claimed during Wade’s divorce proceedings that his former wife, Joycelyn Wade, had harassed her. Wade and Joycelyn Wade separated on Aug. 15, 2021, after 24 years of marriage. Nathan Wade filed for divorce on Nov. 2, 2021.
Willis and Wade have both alleged in court that their relationship began in 2022, after Willis hired him to investigate Trump.
“One of the most concerning incidents in this case, in a long line of concerning incidents, is when D.A. Willis used her position to threaten Mr. Wade’s wife, Joycelyn Wade, during their divorce proceedings,” Kramer wrote in the Complaint. “D.A. Willis stated in a motion that Ms. Wade was trying to embarrass and harass her, and by extension, interfere and obstruct in the conduct of the [D.A.] election.
Joycelyn’s attorney, the response was deemed “woefully inadequate” as it included only a few incorporation documents, one bank statement, and minimal answers to personal interrogatories.
Throughout the divorce proceedings, Joycelyn Wade’s attorney complained repeatedly about Nathan Wade’s “willful refusal” to provide requested documents and bank statements or answer interrogatories, Fox5 reported in January.
In May 2023, the court ordered Nathan Wade to submit all outstanding documents, including tax records and pay stubs, which he partially complied with in June 2023. Subsequently, he faced contempt charges in Aug. 2023 and was directed to provide additional credit card statements and law firm records.
In Sept. 2023, Joycelyn Wade filed a motion to reopen discovery, alleging that Nathan Wade, while appointed as a special prosecutor in the Trump case, was leading a lavish lifestyle, spending substantial amounts of money, leaving her with minimal financial support. In December 2023, Nathan Wade reportedly produced some outstanding discovery responses, revealing credit card statements indicating non-work-related trips with Willis.
“Since that time, D.A. Willis admitted to an improper relationship with Mr. Wade, so Ms. Wade had every reason to determine how the marital money was being used before the divorce. This was not an unusual action by a divorcing couple,” Kramer stated.
He went on to claim that Willis used her position “to threaten her paramour’s estranged wife during her proceeding. D.A. Willis was using the full power of her office to to threaten Ms. Wade with criminal prosecution.”
“This was done to prevent Ms. Wade from adequately fighting for her rights in court; to help Wade in his divorce case and “prevent [Willis] from being an integral part of the now-public divorce case,” Kramer said.
Kramer has also filed a complaint with the Fulton County government’s ethics board but it ruled that it did not have jurisdiction over Willis.
Separately Friday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled that Willis can remain on the Trump Georgia case as long as Wade steps aside.
During an appearance on Newsmax Thursday to discuss the breaking story, Kramer explained that he had been closely scrutinizing news surrounding the Fulton County DA’s office and “voraciously reading things” because Willis and Wade’s “exotic trips and cruises” on the taxpayer dime didn’t “sit well” with him.
“As a taxpayer, my money was going to her boyfriend, and then they were going on trips together,” he said. “Money was going from taxpayers to him [Wade] and then back to Fani Willis.”