Former Governor Roy Eugene Barnes of Georgia appeared in Fulton County on Monday for questioning regarding his involvement in a meeting with District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade. During the examination, conducted by Steve Sadow, Barnes was asked about the specifics of the meeting, its location, and the duration. The former governor recalled that the meeting took place in the conference room neighboring the district attorney's office.
Barnes stated that District Attorney Willis led the conversation, while he and Wade exchanged pleasantries. Although other individuals were present, Barnes could not recall their identities. When asked about the length of the meeting, Barnes estimated that it lasted about an hour.
Sadow further inquired about the purpose of the meeting, to which Barnes asserted that he turned down a job offer from Willis. The former governor explained that he was primarily involved in civil cases, having moved away from prosecution after serving as a prosecutor for a decade. Barnes mentioned his recent involvement in white-collar cases and a pending fraud case in federal court. He emphasized that he is experienced in handling high-profile and complex cases, having successfully sued Syria for beheading a client, resulting in an $82 million recovery.
Addressing whether Willis provided a reason for specifically seeking him out, Barnes replied in the negative. However, he indicated that he had previous professional interactions with the district attorney when she served in the Judicial Qualifications Commission. Despite some conversations with Willis and Jeff DeSantis, Barnes was not aware of the name Nathan Wade being discussed as a potential special prosecutor.
Barnes recalled Wade's presence at the meeting but was uncertain of DeSantis's role. He mentioned that DeSantis had previously worked for Thurber Baker and that he was unsure of DeSantis's current position in the district attorney's office.
The specific date of the meeting was not provided during the questioning. Barnes expressed his willingness to retrieve the date should the court request it.
The examination proceeded in a cordial manner, with Barnes expressing his commitment to following the court's instructions. He remarked on the importance of living by those words, albeit admitting that he is not always successful in doing so.
The questioning concluded with Barnes expressing his hope that he would not have to appear in court again in the future.
