'I take offense!' Georgia prosecutor clashes with Trump co-defendant's lawyer
Georgia prosecutor Adam Abbate clashed with Ashleigh Merchant, an attorney for Mike Roman, after she accused him of coaching a witness.
At a hearing on Tuesday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee gave Merchant a chance to question Terrence Bradley, a former divorce attorney for special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
Abbate objected as Merchant repeatedly asked why Bradley had speculated about a relationship between Wade and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
"I'm going to object to the line of questioning your honor directed counsel to explore is where he got the knowledge he's explored that he said it's speculation, and he didn't get it from any source other than his own speculation," Abbate said.
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Merchant lodged her own objection.
"His speaking objections are clearly coaching the witness because he's regurgitating," she charged.
"Your honor, I object and take offense to that comment. I'm objecting based on the law, and I'm making a record for the court, so I take offense to that comment. It's not the case," Abbate shot back.
"All right, well, I think we can start with objection, the grounds, and the rule number, and then if I need more, I'll ask," McAfee remarked.
Merchant has argued that Willis and Wade should be disqualified from prosecuting Donald Trump and others because the prosecutors were in a romantic relationship allegedly involving financial benefit.
This case is about the 2020 presidential election. Authorities are investigating actions taken by Trump and some of his allies, who are accused of trying to change the election results in Georgia, where Joe Biden won. The main event under scrutiny is a phone call Trump made to Georgia's Secretary of State, urging him to "find" enough votes to make Trump the winner.