A fractured ankle from a pickup basketball game is the newest plot twist in the mystery of why it took multiple days to find and serve former Fulton County, Georgia, special prosecutor Nathan Wade with a House Judiciary Committee subpoena.
The Republican-led committee had tried, fruitlessly, for days to subpoena Wade’s testimony over his previous romantic relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Republicans on the panel questioned the objectivity of her prosecution of former President Donald Trump for attempting to illegally overturn the 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden—a felony. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported in late September that the subpoena had finally been served.
In his testimony, Wade said his radio silence for multiple days can be traced to a community basketball league game and a hairline fracture in his ankle which forced him to seek orthopedic care.
John Bazemore/Associated Press
“I was, obviously, prescription medicating because of the pain and the swelling in
my right ankle. And to date, it is—it is still swollen. So at times, I may have to elevate it to keep the swelling down,” Wade testified. “But I took a few days to take care of my fractured ankle and to prepare for an upcoming mediation and arbitration. When I was able to deal with the pain without the assistance of the prescription pain medication and came to, I turned on my cell phone and prepared to go and exercise down in my exercise room. And when I did that, messages started to ring through.”
Amid his missed calls was a voicemail from a U.S. marshal.
“I called that gentleman back. And at this point, it’s 4:00 a.m. because I rise at 4:00 a.m. to do my exercise regimen. He answered the phone. And I said to him, ‘I understand that apparently, I am missing. I’ve seen reports that no one can find Nathan Wade. I’m here. Who is looking for me?’ The marshal then said to me, ‘Sir, that is ridiculous. We know that you’re not trying to hide or evade service.’ And I said, ‘What service?’ And he said, ‘I have something here to serve upon you from Congress. And I said, I tell you what, I can meet you now, or we can designate a time and a place.’ And he said, ‘No problem.’ He said, ‘But that subpoena was for today.'”
Ultimately, the subpoena was served and Wade ended up testifying for four-and-a-half hours behind closed doors to the panel on October 15.
During his testimony, Wade said the case against Trump “was not politically motivated, rather it was an independent investigation based upon facts, interviews, evidence, and the rule of law. I had no mandate other than to honestly seek the truth.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted by Willis on racketeering and other felony charges last year. While at least four co-defendants have since pleaded guilty, Trump and multiple co-defendants have all pleaded not guilty.
Trump attributes his legal woes in the run-up to the 2024 election season to a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
