Texts show prosecutor's ex-law partner gave info for effort to remove Fani Willis from election case

Terrence Bradley, special prosecutor Nathan Wade's former law partner and onetime divorce attorney, testifies in court Feb. 27, 2024, in Atlanta. Text messages obtained by The Associated Press show that the former law partner of a special prosecutor in the Georgia election case against Donald Trump was sharing information with a defense attorney of one of Trump’s co-defendants. Bradley fed attorney Ashleigh Merchant information over a period of several months, making suggestions to help her prove that special prosecutor Nathan Wade was involved in a relationship with Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)

Attorneys for Donald Trump and other defendants in the Georgia election interference case hoped that lawyer Terrence Bradley would provide key testimony in support of their effort to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis — and they had good reason for their optimism.

Over several months, Bradley had been in touch with Ashleigh Merchant, a lawyer for Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, according to hundreds of text messages produced by Merchant as evidence and obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday.

Through the texts, Bradley fed Merchant information and made suggestions to help her prove that Willis had dated Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor hired for the election case. As Wade’s former law partner and onetime divorce attorney, Bradley was well positioned to know things, and the texts seem to back that up.