Fani Willis, the subject of an exhaustive Georgia state Senate investigation, isn't pleased with the investigative panel's probe.
She says it's meddling with her affairs, as the Republican-led assembly of state senators heard sobering testimony Friday from top Fulton County officials concerning allegations of prosecutorial misconduct leveled against the district attorney's office.
Ahead of the four-hour hearing held inside the Georgia state Capitol building, Willis spoke at a soul food restaurant across town, where she played the race card for the umpteenth time. "The DA's office has done everything by the law. Funny that we need 'Big Brother' watching over us when DAs become black," she said, suggesting that the investigative committee is racially motivated.
"Isn't it interesting when we got a bunch of African American DAs, now we need Daddy to tell us what to do," Willis remarked at a campaign event in K&K Soul Food's parking lot. "So, y'all can go put that in your sound bite for today, but today I am here so I can reach my community, and this is really messing up my business," Willis told a press gaggle, according to Atlanta News First.
Asked how she responds to residents concerned with the DA's office devoting substantial taxpayer resources to prosecuting high-profile matters, such as the Trump case, rather than tackling the backlog of criminal cases, Willis declared: "I'm a sister. I can do all of it. I can prosecute high-profile cases, and I can prosecute everyday cases when they need to be prosecuted."
Willis touted setting up the county's first-ever Pre-Indictment Diversion Program, a soft-on-crime alternative to traditional prosecution, which gives the criminally accused "a second chance" and helps suspects "avoid indictment."
Friday's reconvening of the state Senate special committee investigating Willis, the third investigative session since it was formed, scrutinized the Democrat DA's spending spree, specifically her hiring of ex-special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she had an undisclosed affair with and appointed to spearhead the prosecution of Trump. Willis paid her lover more than $710,000 in legal fees—taken out of the county's coffers—for his work on the case. With Wade collecting paychecks via his county contract, the two took luxury trips together, including trysts in Aruba, Belize, the Bahamas, and Napa Valley, on Wade's dime.
The legislative body questioned Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts and the county's CFO Sharon Whitmore, grilling them on whether they had signed off on Willis appointing Wade and how her $36.6 million budget is approved.
"Fulton County does not appreciate the way [Willis] has handled many things, including her relationship with Mr. Wade," stated state Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens), who serves as chairman of the committee, specifying: "Her failure to disclose gifts and benefits that she received from him—when she hired him and approved his pay and salary and all the checks with no oversight."
Pitts told the committee that, while the commissioners allocate funding to each department, they have little control over how the tax dollars are ultimately spent. DAs in Georgia are state constitutional officers with full autonomy over their budgetary spending.
"After we appropriate money to them, I think we have an obligation, a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers, to know how that money is being spent," Pitts stated, expressing that he supports increasing oversight on how prosecutors spend public funds.
"As it currently stands, the county constitutional officers and the state constitutional officers, they believe that once it’s appropriated they are free to use those funds as they see fit. I have a philosophical difference with that position," Pitts added.
"This is sounding to me kind of like the Wild West," Cowsert quipped.
The committee has the subpoena power to demand documents and compel witnesses to testify under oath, but it cannot directly discipline Willis or bring criminal charges against her. At most, its members can recommend changes to the state law or budget.
That said, the panel could subpoena Willis at some point, which may be soon.
Cowsert told WSB-TV that if Willis refuses to testify voluntarily, the panel plans on subpoenaing her: "If she's not willing to come and explain her conduct, then we will subpoena her and ask her to come—require her to come."
At a campaign stop Monday, where a coalition of black clergy—comprised of prominent African American faith leaders from around the Atlanta area—endorsed Willis, she indicated she won't comply because she believes she isn't legally compelled.
"Well, first of all, I don't think they have the authority to subpoena me. But they need to learn the law," Willis said.
"I will not appear to anything that is unlawful," a defiant Willis declared. "And I have not broken the law in any way."
Georgia's Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, likely a GOP gubernatorial candidate for 2026, responded on X, warning that Willis must comply or else. "If subpoenaed by the Committee, she will be required to appear or she will be in violation of Georgia law. This is what treating everybody evenly looks like, even if DA Willis doesn't like being held accountable," the lieutenant governor wrote.
If subpoenaed by the Committee, she will be required to appear or she will be in violation of Georgia law. This is what treating everybody evenly looks like, even if DA Willis doesn’t like being held accountable. #gapol https://t.co/XBpp96R9Vj
— Burt Jones (@burtjonesforga) May 6, 2024
According to the legislation launching the committee, it is authorized to "enforce such subpoenas" when subjects refuse to obey.
Willis is also accused of misusing federal funds, which Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)'s House Judiciary Committee investigation is getting to the bottom of. In February, Jordan subpoenaed Willis after she repeatedly failed to turn over financial documents. He has since threatened to hold Willis in contempt of Congress if she continually refuses to cooperate with the probe.
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