Georgia judge rules state lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis in misconduct probe

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis must comply with a subpoena for testimony and documents related to allegations of misconduct in her handling of the 2020 election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump, a Georgia judge ruled this week. 

The Georgia state Senate Special Committee issued Willis the subpoena earlier this year as part of an investigation into the 53-year-old prosecutor’s alleged misuse of taxpayer money and potential conflicts of interest during her romance with former Trump special prosecutor Nathan Wade. 

Willis – who was disqualified from the Trump case last week by Georgia Court of Appeals – flouted the panel’s subpoena in September, arguing that the committee did not have the authority to compel her to testify or turn over documents. 

5

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram ruled Monday that Willis has until Jan. 13 to file a list of claimed privileges and objections to any subpoena requests from the special committee.

Willis plans to appeal the ruling.

“We believe the ruling is wrong and will appeal,” former Democratic Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, who is representing Willis in the case, told the Associated Press.

5

5

Willis slammed the Republican-led probe during a fiery press conference in May, blasting the investigation as “unlawful” and indicating that she would refuse to appear before the committee. 

Barnes had argued in a court filing that the panel’s demands are “overbroad and not reasonably tailored to a legitimate legislative need” and that they “seek confidential and privileged information, as well as private and personal information that is not the legitimate target of a legislative subpoena,” according to the AP. 

He also charged that the subpoena should be voided because it was issued after the state’s legislative session was over and violates Georgia’s constitution. 

5

“The law is clear, and the ruling confirms what we knew all along,” Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal said in a statement, according to Fox News. 

“Judge Ingram rejected every argument made by Willis in her attempt to dodge providing testimony to the committee under oath,” he added.

“I look forward to D.A. Willis honoring the subpoena and providing documents and testimony to our committee.”

5

The Georgia legislative panel is investigating several of the allegations against Willis that resulted in her and Wade being booted from the Trump case — including the DA’s decision to hire and extravagantly pay her now-ex-lover as a special prosecutor on the sprawling racketeering case.

Wade has been accused of shelling out some $654,000 from his salary on lavish gifts and getaways with Willis, his boss at the time — raising questions about the extent to which the Atlanta prosecutor benefited financially from the person she hired with taxpayer dollars.