With the prosecutions of the former president, rapper Young Thug and Cop City protesters, Atlanta has become ground zero for the use/abuse of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO law. Of the plethora of crimes in the prosecutor’s arsenal, RICO has become the most effective and least restrictive option available to secure convictions.
Most notably, former President Donald Trump and his co-conspirators were indicted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis based on actions taken by the defendants in an attempt to interfere with and overthrow the 2020 election. After successfully securing probation pleas against four of former President Trump’s co-defendants, the case came to a grinding halt based on a motion alleging misconduct by the DA and special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
Among the issues raised was that the DA had personally benefitted financially from the hiring of her romantic partner as a special prosecutor. These benefits include vacations and cruises. The overarching allegation is that by hiring her then-boyfriend, the DA has siphoned off nearly a million dollars and counting of taxpayer money that continues to be paid to him.
After several hearings investigating the background and facts of the misconduct motion, the truth about what actually transpired between DA Willis and special prosecutor Wade is becoming clear. While there have been objections, attempts to enforce legal privilege, contradicting testimony, the exchange of cash between Willis and Wade, texts messages sent by Wade’s law partner (who appeared to have come down with sudden onset amnesia while on the stand) and cell phone data used to place Wade at DA Willis’ residence in advance of the election investigation, we can better infer the intent and motive behind the DA hiring her boyfriend and fighting tooth and nail from trying to bring the extent of their relationship to light.