This week’s bombshell allegations against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis have emboldened her Republican critics, particularly members of the statehouse who have sought to use a new law for sanctioning “rogue” prosecutors to reprimand her for indicting former President Donald Trump.
The fallout began within hours of defendant Michael Roman filing a court motion seeking to dismiss the election interference charges a grand jury handed up against him and 18 others in August. The former Trump campaign operative alleged, without providing concrete proof, that Willis improperly hired her romantic partner as special prosecutor for the Trump case and benefitted financially from their relationship.
Willis so far has declined to address the allegations publicly, saying through a spokeswoman that her office would respond “through appropriate court filings.”
Many of her Republican critics, however, were quick to weigh in. In Washington, the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee, which launched an investigation of the DA’s work in August, posted repeatedly on X that Willis couldn’t be trusted. On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump echoed several of the allegations from Roman’s filing and stated he was “SO PROUD TO BE SHOWING THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA HOW CORRUPT CROOKED JOE BIDEN, AND OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS!”
At the state Capitol, where lawmakers on Tuesday were converging for their second day of the legislative session, Republicans used the allegations to underscore their pitch for bolstering the state law governing the state’s newly formed Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission.
The Georgia Supreme Court effectively blocked the panel from taking action last year, ruling that it didn’t have the authority to approve its rules and regulations.
“Right now, district attorneys have no accountability,” said Republican state Rep. Houston Gaines, who sponsored the law. “We’re on the verge of changing that and holding prosecutors accountable. This only fuels the need to get the oversight commission up and running right away.”
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
He added, “Fani Willis should be investigated immediately. And if these allegations are true, she should resign or be removed from office.”
A legislative rewrite is expected to quickly pass the Legislature. The Senate has already introduced a measure that strikes the court’s role from the process, and Gaines said he’d bring up a House version on Tuesday.
House Speaker Jon Burns said the “public absolutely deserves transparency and the truth” about the claims.
”We look forward to quickly strengthening oversight of prosecuting attorneys in the coming days to ensure District Attorneys across the state are doing their job to serve the public’s best interest.
Although the measure’s sponsors were careful not to invoke Willis last year — and Gov. Brian Kemp has said there’s no evidence Willis should face any sanctions — key Republicans quickly asked the commission to investigate the DA.
A group of Senate GOP leaders filed the complaint contending she “improperly cherry-picked cases to further her personal political agenda” and said she had “neglected an extraordinary number of cases” by focusing on Trump and his codefendants.
In an op-ed attached to the filing, the GOP senators accused Willis of “seemingly lavish expenditures” that included payouts to special prosecutor Nathan Wade. State Sen. Clint Dixon was among the lawmakers who carried the legislation.
”It’s time to fire Fani,” Dixon said Tuesday. “From a politically motivated prosecution to undeniable corruption, this sham has to end and Fani Willis must be held accountable immediately.”
Democrats, meanwhile, remained quiet about Roman’s allegations against Willis. But privately, many expressed concern about the optics, even with its legal implications still uncertain.
Also unclear is whether the allegations are enough to draw a political challenger for Willis, a Democrat who is up for reelection in November.
No challengers of either party have so far emerged. The qualifying deadline for candidates who want to appear on the ballot is March 8.
Willis herself is proof that Fulton County voters are willing to buck a well-known incumbent: four years ago, she unseated her former boss, Paul Howard, with more than 70 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary runoff. Howard had held the office for more than two decades.
