Megyn Kelly slams CNN, Atlanta Journal-Constitution for not crediting her with reporting text messages in Fani Willis case

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Megyn Kelly blasted CNN and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for not crediting her with reporting the contents of text messages between a defense attorney and a former law partner of a prosecutor who is said to have had a sexual relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

“We await your update to your late evening reports,” Kelly wrote on the X social media platform on Wednesday, tagging the cable news outfit and the Atlanta-based daily newspaper.

“You can cite us as first with texts in the #FaniWillis case. Not only did you not have an ‘exclusive,’ it took you all day to match our reporting.”

An AJC spokesperson told The Post: “As our readers know, our reporters have been covering this story for the past two years, including independently obtaining and verifying the text messages directly from our sources, which we did not portray as exclusive.”

The newspaper added that it was “glad to see social media commentators” who are “recognizing this story and the other major stories that make Atlanta the center of so many major social, political and cultural moments.”

A CNN spokesperson told The Post that the network has changed the text of its online story to reflect that Kelly was the first to report the existence of the texts.

Megyn Kelly said CNN and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution didn’t credit her with a scoop in the Fani Willis story. Getty Images
Megyn Kelly said CNN and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution didn’t credit her with a scoop in the Fani Willis story. Getty Images

On her SiriusXM podcast on Tuesday, Kelly reported on text messages between Ashleigh Merchant, the attorney representing ex-Trump staffer Mike Roman, and Terrence Bradley.

Roman has retained Merchant in an effort to disqualify Willis from prosecuting former President Donald Trump for allegedly trying to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.

Bradley is the former divorce lawyer and law partner of Nathan Wade, the prosecutor who was tapped by Willis to work on the Trump case even though she and Wade were involved romantically.

Kelly reported on text messages between Terrence Bradley (above), a former law partner of special prosecutor Nathan Wade, and Ashleigh Merchant. AP
Kelly reported on text messages between Terrence Bradley (above), a former law partner of special prosecutor Nathan Wade, and Ashleigh Merchant. AP

In court on Tuesday, Bradley was called back to testify about text messages in which he stated that he “absolutely” believed that Willis and Wade started dating before she hired him to lead the Trump case.

Steve Sadow, an attorney for Trump, pointed Bradley to a text exchange from earlier this year in which he appeared to acknowledge that Willis and Wade had been dating since they met at a judicial conference in late 2019.

“Do you think it started before she hired him?” Merchant texted Bradley earlier this year.

“Absolutely. It started when she left the DA’s office and was a judge in South Fulton,” Bradley replied.

Wade is said to have had a romantic relationship with Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney who is seeking to prosecute former President Donald Trump. Getty Images
Wade is said to have had a romantic relationship with Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney who is seeking to prosecute former President Donald Trump. Getty Images

In a follow-up text message, Merchant asked Bradley: “Is this accurate? Upon information and belief, Willis and Wade met while both were serving as Magistrate Judges and began a romantic relationship at that time.”

Bradley responded: “No Municipal court.”

Merchant: “Thank you.”

On the witness stand on Tuesday, Bradley appeared to be trying to put a distance between himself and the text messages, prompting Sadow to accuse him of lying on the witness stand.

Bradley testified on Tuesday that he did not know when the relationship between Wade and Willis started — contradicting the text messages.

I do not have knowledge of it starting or when it started,” Bradley testified on Tuesday. “I never witnessed anything. So, you know, it was speculation.”

Trump’s attorneys want to disqualify Willis (above), saying she financially benefited when she hired Wade to work the case. AP
Trump’s attorneys want to disqualify Willis (above), saying she financially benefited when she hired Wade to work the case. AP

“Why in the heck would you speculate?” Sadow asked.

“I have no answer for that,” Bradley replied.

Trump faces criminal charges in Fulton County for allegedly seeking to interfere in the 2020 presidential election. AP
Trump faces criminal charges in Fulton County for allegedly seeking to interfere in the 2020 presidential election. AP

“Except for the fact that you do, in fact, know when it started, and you don’t want to testify to that in court. That’s the best explanation,” Sadow shot back.

“That’s the true explanation. Because you don’t want to admit it in court, correct?”

Merchant has alleged that the relationship between Wade and Willis was “improper” and that the top prosecutor in Fulton County financially benefited from hiring him to work the Trump case.

She is asking the judge to remove Willis and her team of prosecutors.