Fani Willis Calls Investigation Into Her 'Unlawful'

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has called a Georgia state Senate investigation into her "unlawful" and said she would not testify before it.

Earlier this year, Georgia state Senate Republicans established a special committee to "thoroughly investigate the allegations of misconduct" against Willis, who is prosecuting former President Donald Trump and 18 others accused of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.

Speaking to reporters on May 6, Willis, a Democrat, said she had "not broken the law in any way."

"I don't even think they have the authority to subpoena me, but they need to learn the law," she said, adding, "I will not appear to anything that is unlawful, and I have not broken the law in any way."

The special committee was established after Willis found herself embroiled in a scandal related to a romantic relationship she had with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she hired in the case against Trump. It was argued that the relationship was improper and should disqualify Willis from continuing to lead the case, but she was allowed to remain on the condition that Wade was removed. Wade has since resigned, and the decision to keep Willis on the case is being appealed.

The committee, which met for a hearing on May 3, is investigating Willis' "potential conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds," while threatening to "enact new or amend existing laws" that target the district attorney.

Newsweek has contacted Willis' office for comment by email outside business hours.

During a community event Friday, Willis said the investigation was "messing up" her business, Atlanta News First reported.

"Isn't it interesting when we got a bunch of African American DAs, now we need daddy to tell us what to do," Willis said Friday morning. "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."

She continued: "They can look all they want. The DA's office has done everything according to the books. We are following the law. I'm sorry that folks get mad when everybody in society can be prosecuted."

Speaking to Newsweek, Matthew Mangino, a former district attorney in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, called the investigation "a fishing expedition."

He said: "I'm not sure where this investigation leads. If the legislature wanted to remove Willis, they could file articles of impeachment—if there are any impeachable offenses. The GOP controls the GA House. Then the Senate could conduct a trial, where a two-thirds majority vote is needed for conviction and removal.

"This appears to be a fishing expedition, maybe they find something or just embarrass Willis. They don't have a basis to impeach, but in politics you always have a basis to embarrass."

After Friday's hearing, Georgia state Senator Bill Cowsert, an Athens Republican, told reporters that Willis had an "open invitation to appear" before the committee but would be subpoenaed if she did not agree to testify willingly, Rahul Bali, a politics reporter for WABE News in Atlanta, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Willis is up for reelection this year and is facing her first challenge in the May 21 primary. Attorney Christian Wise Smith, who ran against her in 2020, is her only challenger. Despite the criticism she has faced, a new poll shows Willis has expanded her support since she was first elected.