Georgia prosecutor Nathan Wade’s former divorce lawyer, Terrence Bradley, testified Tuesday that his text messages about the timeline of Wade’s romantic relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) were mere speculation and not based on any facts.
Bradley retook the stand Tuesday in a hearing to determine whether top prosecutors in former President Trump’s Georgia election interference case should be disqualified because of their romantic involvement.
Bradley, seen as the defense’s star witness, was ordered to testify in greater detail about the romantic relationship between Willis and Wade, which both prosecutors acknowledge existed but say only started after Wade was hired to investigate Trump in November 2021. Therefore, they say, the relationship created no conflict.
Bradley acknowledged Tuesday that he sent text messages to one of the defense attorneys, Ashleigh Merchant, contradicting prosecutors’ timeline of their own relationship.
Ultimately, however, Bradley’s testimony Tuesday was not the blow to prosecutors that the defense had hoped for. Instead, Bradley repeatedly responded to questions saying he could not recall details and that the text messages were just speculation.
“When you told me that their relationship started when she left the DA’s office and was a judge in South Fulton, where did you obtain that knowledge from?” Merchant asked Bradley on the stand, referring the text messages about Willis and Wade.
“I was speculating,” Bradley responded, adding when asked again, “No one told me. I was speculating.”
Pressed on what led him to speculate — whether someone told him information or whether he witnessed anything — Bradley said, “I never witnessed anything. So, you know, it was speculation. I can’t tell you anything specific, if that’s what you’re, you’re asking.”
“You can’t tell me anything specific as to why you speculated about that?” Merchant asked.
“This was however many years ago. I mean, I don’t recall, but no, I don’t.”
“Did you have any reason to lie to me?” Merchant quipped, to which Bradley said, “I don’t know if speculation is lying.”
At a later point, while being questioned by Trump lawyer Steve Sadow, Bradley testified again that he was speculating on the timeline of Willis and Wade’s relationship.
Sadow referred back to text messages presented by Merchant, in which Bradley said he “absolutely” believed Willis and Wade’s romance began before the district attorney hired the special prosecutor.
“That’s speculation on my part,” Bradley said.
“Why in the heck would you speculate in this text message?” Sadow asked, to which Bradley ultimately said — after some back-and-forth — “no answer.”