Atlanta, Georgia – In a high-stakes hearing that could upend the sprawling election meddling and racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 18 other defendants, Ashleigh Merchant, a Georgia criminal defense lawyer, will take center stage on Thursday. Known as a “badass” attorney who also runs marathons in her spare time, Merchant filed a bombshell motion in January on behalf of her client, GOP political operative Mike Roman, alleging an “improper” relationship between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and a special prosecutor she appointed. Merchant argues that this alleged conflict of interest should disqualify Willis from the case.
The indictment, which accuses Trump and his co-defendants of plotting to reverse his 2020 electoral loss in Georgia, has been led by Willis. However, Merchant contends that Willis had a secretive relationship with the special prosecutor, Nathan Wade, and that they used the legal fees paid by the DA’s office for luxurious vacations.
Merchant, who was recently sworn in as the president of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, is demanding that the charges against Roman be dropped due to the alleged conflict of interest. The hearing on Thursday will determine whether Willis and Wade’s relationship poses a conflict that could jeopardize the case against Roman and, by implication, Trump and the other defendants. Willis may be required to testify about the timeline of her relationship with Wade.
Merchant’s involvement in the case puts her in the national spotlight and could potentially lead to the collapse of what legal observers considered the strongest of the four criminal indictments against Trump. She is described as a “pit bull” by her colleagues and is known for her proactive approach to defending her clients. While Willis and her office dismiss the allegations as mere gossip, Merchant maintains that her actions are carefully investigated and grounded in legal basis.
With Republican lawmakers in Georgia conducting a separate investigation into Willis and employees of the DA’s office eagerly testifying against their boss, the scrutiny on Willis is intensifying. Additionally, she is under investigation by Georgia’s Prosecuting Attorneys’ Qualifications Commission and has been subpoenaed for documents related to allegations of firing a whistleblower and misusing federal funds.
Merchant, who works alongside her husband John Merchant III, operates a deceptively-small firm in Marietta, Georgia. She gained recognition for successfully defending a man charged with the murder of a former beauty queen in 2005.
As Thursday’s hearing approaches, Merchant’s friends and colleagues have full confidence in her abilities, describing her as fearless and dedicated. She is expected to bring her explosive legal and political mind to the courtroom, potentially bringing the Trump case to a halt. Merchant’s role in this case has not gone unnoticed, and many of the other co-defendants are basing their legal strategies on her actions.
Merchant’s tenacity and meticulous approach to her cases have earned her the reputation of being a formidable criminal defense lawyer. As the high-stakes hearing unfolds, all eyes will be on Merchant as she fights to protect her client and potentially reshape the outcome of a case that has garnered national attention.