Fulton County DA Fani Willis Is Being Subpoenaed By Georgia Republicans

(CTN News) – Senate Republicans are moving forward with a public investigation into Fulton County DA Fani Willis that could lead to Democratic DA’s being subpoenaed to testify.

The State Senate Special Committee on Investigations has already subpoenaed Ashleigh Merchant. This is the defense attorney who has been trying to get Fani Willis removed from the election interference case against former President Donald Trump. The attorney for Trump co-defendant Michael Roman is scheduled to testify on Wednesday.

As stated on the state Senate website, the panel’s purpose is to “investigate the allegations of misconduct by the Fulton County district attorney, Fani Willis, involving potential conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds, and to enact new or amended laws and/or change state appropriations so that public confidence in the criminal justice system is restored.”

There will be more subpoenas issued by the panel, and Willis may face a subpoena in the future, according to a source familiar with the committee’s plans.

According to Republican Committee Chairman Bill Cowsert, the investigation will take “many months” to complete and more subpoenas will be issued.

Cowsert responded that he didn’t know whether he would be subpoenaed specifically in regards to Fani Willis.

During the Trump case, Merchant has accused Willis of misconduct, claiming she did not disclose a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she appointed to handle the case. Merchant says Wade, who has been paid over $600,000 for his involvement in the case, took Fani Willis out to dinner and on trips.

In a court hearing held last month on the allegations, Fani Willis and Wade denied any wrongdoing. They admitted they dated, but said the relationship began after Wade’s appointment and Willis did not benefit financially from it. Judge Scott McAfee, presiding over the election interference case, has said he hopes to rule by mid-March whether to disqualify Fani Willis.

Merchant was asked to bring documents regarding the disqualification effort to Wednesday’s Senate hearing, according to NBC News.The documents include texts she exchanged with Terrence Bradley, Wade’s former lawyer and divorce attorney.

It was Bradley’s testimony in court last week that Wade and Willis had “absolutely” started dating before Wade was appointed special prosecutor, but it was based on “speculation,” not personal experience.

In this hearing, Merchant should be able to speak more openly about the content of the texts than she could in court.

SEE ALSO:

American Samoa Caucus Defeats President Biden By Long-Shot Jason Palmer