The House Judiciary Committee's efforts to locate former Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade have hit a roadblock, raising questions about the ongoing probe into Fani Willis.
According to Newsweek, the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee has been unable to serve a subpoena to Wade since Friday, September 22, 2024.
The committee is seeking Wade's testimony regarding his previous personal relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is leading the high-profile case against former President Donald Trump for alleged interference in the 2020 Georgia election results.
Wade, who previously served as the lead prosecutor in the Trump case, has left his role. The committee's attempts to serve the subpoena through Wade's lawyer and via email have been unsuccessful, prompting the involvement of U.S. Marshals in the search for Wade.
Russell Dye, spokesperson for the House Judiciary Committee, voiced the committee's frustration with the situation. Dye told Newsweek that the committee has successfully served over 100 subpoenas during this Congress without much controversy or the need for U.S. Marshals' assistance. He emphasized the unusual nature of Wade's evasion, stating that it would require the committee to use taxpayer funds to locate him.
The committee's inability to serve Wade the subpoena has led to public statements from key Republican figures. House Judiciary Chair Representative Jim Jordan and Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have both taken to social media to question Wade's whereabouts.
Andrew Evans, Wade's attorney, and Russell Dye present differing versions of events leading up to the current situation. Evans claims that Wade had previously agreed to a voluntary interview in Washington, D.C., scheduled for July 11, 2024. He suggests that the Republicans canceled this meeting, possibly for political reasons, to align it closer to the election. However, Dye refutes this claim, stating that the committee offered the July 11 date, but Wade's camp did not accept it.
Evans also told Newsweek that Wade had already provided all available documents requested by the committee, including invoices. He questioned the committee's motives, stating that Wade is no longer part of the District Attorney's office and lacks access to additional information.
Evans argues that there is no precedent for holding an "empty-chair hearing" for someone who has not been properly notified of a deposition. He characterized the situation as "political theater that is improv—playing with the rules."
The committee, however, maintains that Wade's testimony under oath is crucial to their investigation. Dye emphasized the importance of having Wade testify under penalty of perjury, suggesting that his statements would carry more weight in this context.
The search for Nathan Wade is part of a larger investigation into Fani Willis and her office's handling of the Trump case. Willis charged former President Donald Trump with allegedly seeking to interfere with the 2020 election results in Georgia. The case centers on Trump's call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" enough votes to change the election outcome and an alleged plot involving a false slate of electors for the Electoral College.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintains that the case is politically motivated. The investigation into Willis and Wade's relationship adds another layer of complexity to an already high-profile legal battle.
The House Judiciary Committee's inability to locate Nathan Wade has created a roadblock in their investigation of Fani Willis and the Trump case in Georgia. Wade's attorney and the committee present conflicting accounts of prior communication attempts. The situation raises questions about the upcoming committee hearing and the broader implications for the ongoing investigation into alleged election interference.
