The walls are closing in on Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis who earlier this month was cited for leading an office filled with “high-risk” practices related to her use of federal and state dollars. Now, her latest move has caused more even concern among legal analysts.
In a bold legal maneuver, Willis is taking an aggressive stance by attempting to dismiss an open records lawsuit concerning her office’s communications. The controversial decision comes amid her high-profile role as lead prosecutor in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and several co-defendants, including Trump’s presumptive 2024 Republican nomination.
At the heart of the legal skirmish is a complaint filed by Just the News earlier this year. The publication accused Willis’ office of not adhering to the Georgia Open Records Act by failing to provide records detailing interactions between Willis or her appointee Nathan Wade and various White House or Department of Justice officials.
Newsweek reported:
In the latest development on the open records complaint, Willis’ office said in court papers that it is “an entity not capable of being sued” and has immunities under Georgia law that make it “exempt from disclosure under the Open Records Act.”
“Plaintiff’s Complaint against the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office should be dismissed as a matter of law because the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is not an entity that can be sued,” the Fulton County District Attorney’s office said in its April filing.WATCH:
Questions mount over Willis’ motivations and the legality of her office’s actions. The incident has also attracted the attention of legal advocacy groups. America First Legal (AFL), representing Just the News, filed an amicus brief arguing that the Georgia Open Records Act unequivocally applies to the District Attorney’s office, challenging the claims of immunity put forward by Willis’ team.
This comes following a statement by the DOJ stating it had found “inconsistencies” in Willis’ reporting on the use of federal dollars, something the U.S. House of Representatives is investigating as well. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who is leading a probe by the Oversight Committee, has cited testimony from a whistleblower in alleging that Willis may be redirecting anti-gang funds to support her continued racketeering case against Trump.
The DA’s office did not respond to a request for comment by the outlet. However, her previous letter to Jordan sheds light on her lack of appreciation for oversight.
“We will not shut down this office’s efforts to prosecute crimes — including gang activity, acts of violence and public corruption — to meet unreasonable deadlines in your politically motivated ‘investigation’ of this office.”
Toward the end, Willis went toe-to-toe with Jordan, warning him that any probe meant to interfere with her investigation of Trump is similar to violent and racist threats she claims to have received as a result of her own probe.
“[L]et me state this clearly: nothing that you do will derail the efforts of my staff and I to bring the election interference prosecution to trial so that a jury of Fulton County citizens can determine the guilt or innocence of the defendants,” she concludes in her letter. “My family, my staff and I have been threatened repeatedly by people making violent, often racist, attacks.”