ATLANTA — Former President Donald Trump joined a motion to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis Thursday over an alleged romance and other misconduct, characterizing a speech she made at an Atlanta church as "racially charged statements."
Trump attorneys Steve Sadow and Jennifer Little on Thursday adopted a motion originally filed on behalf of codefendant Mike Roman. Earlier this month, Roman's legal team alleged that Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade were engaged in an improper romantic relationship and misused taxpayer funds.
Trump's legal team provided additional information Thursday in his attempt to have the indictment thrown out and the Fulton County District Attorney's Office disqualified from the case. The motion provided no further proof of an alleged romance between Wade and Willis.
RELATED: New records give no further proof of DA Fani Willis and Nathan Wade's alleged romance
Trump's attorneys alleges that Willis committed a "glaring, flagrant, and calculated effort to foment racial bias into this case" during a speech earlier this month at Big Bethel AME Church "by publicly denouncing the defendants for somehow daring to question her decision to hire a Black man (without also mentioning that she is alleged to have had a workplace affair with the same man) to be a special prosecutor."
In portions of her roughly 35-minute speech, Willis said much of the scrutiny she’s faced after Wade’s appointment is unfair and racially motivated. She defended Wade without mentioning his name.
“They only questioned one. Isn’t it them playing the race card when they constantly think I need someone from some other jurisdiction to tell me how to do a job I’ve been doing for 30 years," Willis said.
In a statement to 11Alive, Sadow said the motion seeks to hold Willis accountable for the conduct alleged in Roman's motion as well as the statements made during the church speech.
RELATED: Judge orders hearing on Fani Willis, Nathan Wade misconduct allegations in Trump case
"DA Willis violated her Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor under the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct," a portion of the statement reads. "Her attempt to foment racial animus and prejudice against the defendants in order to divert and deflect attention away from her alleged improprieties calls out for the sanctions of dismissal and disqualification."
In a post of X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter, Georgia State University College of Law professor Anthony Kreis said Sadow's motion was "absolutely devoid of any merit."
"That speech was so milquetoast, even if you find it distasteful, I can't see it being the grounds for anything," Kreis told 11Alive.
Ashleigh Merchant, Roman's attorney, filed a motion Jan. 8 seeking to disqualify Wade, Willis and the DA's office from the case.
She alleged that Wade and Willis engaged in an "improper, clandestine personal relationship during the pendency of this case, which has resulted in the special prosecutor, and, in turn, the district attorney, profiting significantly from this prosecution at the expense of the taxpayers."
RELATED: Is there a chance Fulton DA Fani Willis be removed from prosecuting Donald Trump?
Merchant further alleges that Wade and Willis violated laws regulating the use of taxpayer funds. She also cited conflicts of interest and allege the pair violated professional conduct rules. Merchant seeks to have the indictment dismissed.
Records submitted in special prosecutor Nathan Wade's ongoing divorce proceedings allege that he purchased airline tickets for Willis to San Francisco and Miami, among other items. Wade also paid for hotels and cruises around the same time, but it's unclear if Willis was with him.
Unsealed court records reviewed by 11Alive earlier this week did not show further evidence of an alleged romance between Wade and Willis.
A Cobb County judge set a Jan. 31 hearing in the Wades' divorce case, and Nathan Wade may give sworn testimony during the hearing.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee set a Feb. 15 hearing in the election interference case regarding the allegations against Wade and Willis.
This is a breaking story and may be updated.