Trump Georgia case hearing on motion to disqualify Fani Willis continues

Former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes testifies during a hearing on ‘misconduct’ allegations against Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia, on February 16. 

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Former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes testified Friday that he declined District Attorney Fani Willis’ request to be special prosecutor because he was uncomfortable with the high-profile nature of the Georgia election interference case.

Prosecutors with the district attorney’s office called Barnes, asking him about Willis’ request to become the special prosecutor before Nathan Wade was hired. An attorney for the district attorney, Anna Cross, used the questioning to try and establish that Willis looked to hire other prosecutors before turning to Wade, and did not act purposefully to give Wade a high-paying job for her own benefit. 

Barnes testified that in 2021, Willis “asked me if I’d be interested in being special prosecutor, to which I replied that I have mouths to feed at a law office and that I could not, would not do that.” 

Barnes said that he previously prosecuted high-profile cases, during which he faced several threats.

“I told DA Willis I’d lived with the bodyguards for four years and I didn’t like it. And I wasn’t gonna live with bodyguards for the rest of my life,” he said.

Barnes spoke highly of both Wade and Willis during his testimony, at one point calling the district attorney “a very qualified young woman.”

As for Wade, he said he wasn’t surprised that he was serving as special prosecutor in the case.

“Nathan is a good organizer. Nathan can organize stuff – I’ve watched him over the years,” he said.