Name: Witness Confronted With Texts, Key Details He Shared About Wade-Willis Relationship
Uploaded: 2024-02-28T04:56:41.000Z
Description: Terrence Bradley, former law partner and attorney to special prosecutor Nathan Wade, testified about Mr. Wade and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's relationship in a public court hearing on Feb. 27, responding to attorneys that accused him of misleading the defense with his representations of the relationship.

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Citizens Honor Police for Their Service and Sacrifice

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Trump ‘Projecting American Influence and Leadership’ on Iran Issue in Beijing: China Expert

Chris Bob is a reporter for NTD and a host of "Profiles of Service." He is also a small business owner. Chris graduated from Union College with a concentration in politics and religion in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Chris Bob

Senate Panel Advances Crypto Regulation Bill

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Lawmakers Weigh ‘Sanctuary’ Polices After Woman’s Death in Virginia

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Bonta Announces Major Fentanyl Bust in California

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

CENTCOM Commander Admiral Cooper Praises Trump's Military Actions

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Lawyers in OpenAI Trial Give Closing Arguments

Eva Fu is a New York-based writer for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. politics, U.S.-China relations, religious freedom, and human rights. Contact Eva at eva.fu@epochtimes.com

Eva Fu

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

China News

Organ Harvesting in China

Congressional Hearing Spotlights Forced Organ Harvesting in China

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

Report: Giants WR Nabers Had 2nd Procedure on Knee

Xavier Becerra Leads New California Governor Poll

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

Health News

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Terrence Bradley, former law partner and attorney to special prosecutor Nathan Wade, testified about Mr. Wade and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's relationship in a public court hearing on Feb. 27, responding to attorneys that accused him of misleading the defense with his representations of the relationship.

Mr. Wade and Ms. Willis's relationship has been at the center of a motion to disqualify the prosecutors from the high-profile election case naming former President Donald Trump and 14 others in an alleged racketeering scheme.

During the testimony, several texts between Mr. Bradley and Ashleigh Merchant, representing defendant Michael Roman, were read aloud in court. The two had texted over a six month period and Mr. Bradley shared several details about the relationship, sometimes unprompted and sometimes in response to Ms. Merchant asking for confirmation.

Among other things, Mr. Bradley had texted Ms. Merchant that he believed the relationship between Mr. Wade and Ms. Willis began after they met at a judicial conference in 2019, that they had gone on several trips together, that he wanted to review the motion to disqualify for accuracy, and that Mr. Wade was "absolutely" hired after he and Ms. Willis were already in a relationship.

However, Mr. Bradley testified that this had all been "speculation."

Shown some of the text messages, Mr. Bradley said, "I see that message, but I do not recall that."

"And when I asked you if you thought it started before she hired him, and you responded 'absolutely,'" Ms. Merchant added before being interrupted by an objection from state attorneys that the source of information was in question.


<h2>Disqualification Hearing</h2>
The testimony came after two tries during which Mr. Bradley invoked attorney-client privilege on the witness stand, only to have state attorneys then reveal before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee that Mr. Bradley seemed to have improperly interpreted what was covered by attorney-client privilege.

The judge called for a closed-door meeting with Mr. Bradley after his Feb. 16 testimony and later determined that he had information about Mr. Wade and Ms. Willis's relationship that should be heard in court, calling the Feb. 27 hearing.

"I found that neither Mr. Wade nor Mr. Bradley had met their burden in establishing that the attorney-client privilege applied specifically as it relates to Mr. Bradley's knowledge of any relationship that existed between Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade," Judge McAfee said.

The subject of the hearing was only for "knowledge that was conveyed to" Mr. Bradley.

"He claimed that it was privileged at the last hearing; I found that it was not," the judge said.

Mr. Wade, who had already finished his testimony, was sitting with the state attorneys.

This marks the end of witness testimony for the motion to disqualify prosecutors based on alleged conflict of interest and financial benefit for Ms. Willis in the hiring of Mr. Wade.

The judge has also scheduled a March 1 hearing on the motion to disqualify, during which attorneys will argue before the judge.

The attorneys will be allowed to address an investigator's findings regarding cell phone data allegedly putting Mr. Wade in a location that suggests overnight visits to Ms. Willis's condo via arguments, but there will be no testimony or new evidence entered as of yet.

Special prosecutor Nathan Wade attends a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on Feb. 27, 2024. (Brynn Anderson/Pool via Getty Images)


<h2>Bradley Texted About Relationship, Knowing About Motion to Disqualify</h2>
Mr. Bradley had volunteered information about the Wade-Willis relationship knowing Ms. Merchant was filing the motion to disqualify.

Steve Sadow, attorney for President Trump, read a text from Mr. Bradley where he said, unprompted, that the relationship "began when she left the DA's office and was judge in South Fulton. They met at the Municipal Court CLE conference."

Mr. Bradley had maintained that "no one told me; I was speculating."

He also maintained that he did not know when the relationship started and only had one conversation with Mr. Wade about Ms. Willis, and it was in their office with no other parties present. Defense attorneys asked point blank whether he had lied to Ms. Merchant about the relationship.

"I don't recall," he said. "I mentioned earlier that I speculated on some things."

Mr. Bradley confirmed that when he was texting Ms. Merchant he was still friends with Mr. Wade. He later added that he hadn't spoken to Mr. Wade since he left the firm two years ago.

"What would cause you to put that down as speculation?" Mr. Sadow asked. "You knew that Ashleigh Merchant represented a defendant when you text messaged her. And you knew that the reason that she was asking you questions about Mr. Wade was when she was trying to show when the relationship began, is that correct?"

"Maybe you can explain why you didn't say 'I don't know'," Mr. Sadow said.

Ms. Merchant had sent another text asking whether the relationship began when they were both magistrate judges, which would have been over a year before Mr. Wade was hired by Ms. Willis. Mr. Bradley did not dispute this in his text response and only said "No, municipal court."

Mr. Bradley was deflective in response to other questions about texts he sent.

"Do you remember telling me that Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade would rendezvous at that [Ms. Willis's private practice] office?" Ms. Merchant asked.

"Any knowledge that I would have would have come from my client at the time," he said.

Texts revealed that Mr. Bradley was the one who asked to see the draft of the motion Ms. Merchant was filing, not the other way around as was previously suggested.

He corrected a footnote that mentioned his own contract, but did not point out any other inaccuracies and responded "looks good" via text.

The judge allowed the texts to be entered into evidence over the state's objection for relevance.

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/wade-associate-testifies-about-text-that-wade-willis-relationship-began-before-hiring-5596057">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Videos

Politics

01_Lead Story

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Management

Wade

Catherine Yang is a reporter for The Epoch Times based in New York.

Catherine Yang

02_Second Lead

Fani Willis

Donald Trump

Trump Indictments

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.