Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case

[December 28, 2024]  By KATE BRUMBACK and JEFF AMY

ATLANTA (AP) — A judge has ruled that the Georgia state Senate can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as part of a inquiry into whether she has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump but is giving Willis the chance to contest whether lawmakers' demands are overly broad.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram filed the order Monday, telling Willis she has until Jan. 13 to submit arguments over whether the subpoenas seek legally shielded or confidential information. Ingram wrote that the would issue a final order later saying what Willis had to respond to.

Willis, though, wants the ruling overturned.

“We believe the ruling is wrong and will appeal,” former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, who is representing Willis in the case, wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

A state appeals court earlier this month removed Willis from the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump and others, citing an “appearance of impropriety” that might not typically warrant such a removal. The Georgia Court of Appeals panel said in a 2-1 ruling that because of the romantic relationship Willis had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade “this is the rare case in which disqualification is mandated and no other remedy will suffice to restore public confidence in the integrity of these proceedings.”

Willis’ office immediately filed a notice of intent to ask the Georgia Supreme Court to review the decision.

The Republican-led Senate committee sent subpoenas to Willis in August seeking to compel her to testify during its September meeting and to produce scores of documents. The committee was formed earlier this year to examine allegations of “various forms of misconduct” by Willis, an elected Democrat, during her prosecution of Trump and others over their efforts to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss in Georgia.

The resolution creating the committee focused in particular on Willis’ hiring of Wade to lead the prosecution against Trump and others. The resolution said the relationship amounted to a “clear conflict of interest and a fraud upon the taxpayers” of the county and state.

Barnes, Willis’ attorney, argued that the Senate committee did not have the power to subpoena her. He also argued that the subpoenas were overly broad and not related to a legitimate legislative need, saying the committee is seeking confidential and privileged information, as well as private and personal information.

Fani Willis, District Attorney of Fulton County speaks during an interview on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Willis’ challenge was pending in mid-September when she skipped a hearing during which the committee members had hoped to question her.

In October, the committee asked Ingram to require Willis to comply with the subpoenas. The committee’s lawyers wrote in a court filing that Willis’ failure to do so had delayed its ability to finish its inquiry and to provide recommendations for any legislation or changes in appropriations that might result.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled in March that Willis’ actions showed a “tremendous lapse in judgment,” but he did not find a conflict of interest that would disqualify Willis. He said she could continue her prosecution as long as Wade stepped aside, which he did.

Willis and Wade have acknowledged the relationship but have said it began after he was hired and ended before the indictment against Trump was filed.

One wrinkle in the proceedings is that the current Georgia legislative term will end when lawmakers are sworn in for their new term on Jan. 13. However, Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming said last week that he will file legislation to reestablish the committee at the beginning of the 2025 legislative session.

“The law is clear, and the ruling confirms what we knew all along,” Dolezal wrote in a text Friday. “Judge Ingram rejected every argument made by Willis in her attempt to dodge providing testimony to the committee under oath. I look forward to D.A. Willis honoring the subpoena and providing documents and testimony to our committee.”

Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has said he would support Dolezal's move, saying in a statement last week that Willis' “refusal to come before the committee is unacceptable and addressing these issues to require accountability will be a priority for the Senate.”

All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved