Willis Ordered To Turn Over Certain Communications
A Fulton County judge’s ruling has placed District Attorney Fani Willis under intense scrutiny, ordering her to release records related to her communications with special counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee.
The decision follows a lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch, a nonprofit watchdog group, alleging that Willis violated Georgia’s Open Records Act (ORA) by failing to disclose or account for the requested documents.
The controversy began when Judicial Watch sought transparency regarding potential coordination between Willis, Smith, and the January 6 Committee. Her office initially claimed no such records existed. However, it was later revealed that records did exist, prompting Judicial Watch to pursue legal action. Willis’s failure to respond adequately or mount a credible defense led Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney to grant a default judgment against her.
In his ruling, McBurney chastised Willis for not complying with the ORA and ordered her to provide the requested records within five business days. He also instructed her office to pay Judicial Watch’s attorney’s fees, with a hearing scheduled for December 20, 2024, to finalize costs.
The records in question pertain to an ongoing investigation by the House Judiciary Committee into whether Willis’s high-profile prosecution of former President Donald Trump was influenced by outside entities. Judicial Watch has accused Willis of “collusion” with the Biden administration and the House January 6 Committee in her pursuit of Trump, raising questions about political motivations behind the case.
Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted in Georgia last year under racketeering charges related to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. While some co-defendants have taken plea deals, Trump and others maintain their innocence. They are currently appealing a Fulton County judge’s refusal to disqualify Willis from the case.
Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, called the ruling against Willis unprecedented. “This is the first time in our experience a government official has been found in default for not showing up in court to answer an open records lawsuit,” he said.
The watchdog group anticipates the records will shed light on whether Willis acted independently or in coordination with federal agencies and Congressional committees.
The racketeering case against Trump remains in limbo. The Georgia Court of Appeals canceled oral arguments that were expected to address whether Willis could continue prosecuting the case, leaving the status of the charges uncertain. Trump’s legal team and co-defendants argue that Willis’s involvement is compromised by alleged bias and improper coordination.