Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis defied a subpoena to turn over documents and testify in front of the Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations Friday morning.
Last week, Willis’ attorney, former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, filed an appeal in Fulton County Superior Court asking for an injunction to block the subpoena. A ruling wasn’t made in time for Friday’s Republican-led committee meeting because three judges had recused themselves.
Fulton Superior Court Judges Melynee Leftridge and Craig Schwall Sr. did not specify the conflicts of interest that led them to recusal. Judge Scott McAfee also recused himself, citing his oversight of the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump as the reason. (Willis is leading that case.)
The committee, which was formed to investigate alleged misconduct by Willis, has set its sights on Willis’ romantic relationship with former special prosecutor Nathan Wade, which made headlines earlier this year and caused Wade to step away from the aforementioned case against Trump.
According to the committee’s chairman, state Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, this investigation’s focus serves the intention of crafting future legislation that would create procurement guidelines for how contractors and special prosecutors are hired by local district attorney offices.
In lieu of Willis’ testimony, the Senate committee heard from former Secretary of the Senate David Cook and Stuart Morelli, legislative counsel for the Georgia General Assembly.
Morelli said Georgia legal precedence has established that it is within the legislature’s power to investigate other government officials. He did clarify, however, that subpoenas issued should be with the purpose of crafting future legislation.
“Let’s please note for the record that Ms. Willis has failed to appear in compliance with the subpoena and has failed to produce documents requested,” Cowsert said at the end of the hearing.
Afterward, the committee entered into executive session to get updates from the attorney hired to represent it in any upcoming legal proceedings while members try to enforce the subpoena.
Willis’ request for an injunction has not yet been assigned to another Fulton Superior Court judge. Until that ruling is made, it is not likely that she will be forced to testify under threat of criminal contempt.
