Amanda Timpson, formerly director of juvenile diversion and a member of Fani Willis' executive leadership team, testified that she was demoted and eventually fired after she blew the whistle on the office's misuse of federal grant money. (Georgia state Senate)
However, Wade would not be hired as special prosecutor until roughly a year later. Willlis hired Wade in November 2021 to help prosecute the sweeping racketeering case against former President Trump related to allegations of election interference.
It is unclear if he was on the payroll at the time he was helping Willis build her new team.
Willis and Wade were accused of having an "improper" affair prior to his hiring, which both parties denied and alleged their romantic relationship started after Wade was hired.
However, Cowsert says he believes that claim is "dubious."
"[Wade], for a whole year, was her confidant and collaborator on running the office before he gets hired," Cowsert said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
"And then she's acting like it was just something that happened in the summer of 2022. That they began a relationship months after the hiring. That's a dubious claim, you know?" Cowsert said.
Former special prosecutor Nathan Wade arrives before Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks after winning the Democratic primary on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 in Buckhead, Georgia. (AP)
Timpson testified that she was subject to "overwhelming retaliation" and "pushback" after notifying her direct boss that Willis' office was knowingly misusing federal grant funds, which is illegal.
Timpson said she wanted Willis to be aware of the misuse of funds to "protect" her and "protect the integrity of the grants." She said that after Willis was made aware of Timpson's warnings, she was demoted to the position of file clerk.
"I thought that I was going to ultimately retire from the DA's office, and it made a place that I used to be proud of working at hell for me, essentially," Timpson said.
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Cowsert observed that working in the DA's office was a "dream job" for Timpson, who had grown up in Compton, California, and alluded to being personally affected by the rampant gang activity there.
"I think she's trying to make the world better. And that her niche is stopping youths from joining gangs. And she did that with the school system here and then with the DA's office. It was like a dream job, really, for her… and then it was snatched away from her," Cowsert said.
The committee is expected to hold additional hearings over the next several months.
Willis has said she will not testify, though the committee has subpoena power, and she has called the committee "unlawful."
Fox News Digital reached out to Willis and Wade for comment.
Brianna Herlihy is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
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