Fulton County Prosecutor Fani Willis will reportedly refuse to step down after allegations surfaced in recent weeks of corruption surrounding her probe into former President Donald Trump.
If Willis resigns or recuses herself from the case, it could effectively end the county’s prosecution of Trump or potentially delay the proceedings until after the presidential election. Republicans accuse Willis of interfering in the presidential election.
Sources familiar with Willis’ thinking told CNN that she will not step down, but will continue her prosecution despite the allegations. Willis has until Friday to respond to the allegations filed by co-defendant Mike Roman, who alleged Willis had an “improper” financial and romantic relationship with her top prosecutor, Nathan Wade.
CNN reported:
Judge Scott McAfee has scheduled a February 15 hearing for both sides to present evidence related to the allegations. CNN previously reported that defense attorneys issued nearly a dozen subpoenas for potential witnesses to testify publicly in that hearing, including to Willis, Wade and others.
While some inside the DA’s office believe the odds are low Willis will ultimately have to take the stand during the February 15 evidentiary hearing, sources acknowledge it is not out of the question.
Willis was also subpoenaed in Wade’s contentious divorce dispute in neighboring Cobb County, but the judge has paused any decision on whether she will ultimately have to testify. Wade was scheduled to testify on Wednesday over allegations he hid income from his estranged wife but on Tuesday afternoon, the dispute was temporarily settled, much to the relief of some in the DA’s office, a source told CNN.
House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) launched an investigation into Willis on January 12, 2024, for accepting more than $14.6 million in grant funds from the Department of Justice between 2020 and 2023. The timeframe of the funding suggests the DOJ granted Willis federal funds to finance the prosecution of Donald Trump.
On Monday, Georgia House members passed a bill to recreate a committee to remove Willis. Gov. Brian Kemp (R) supports this method, as he opposed launching a criminal investigation into Willis. Kemp denied Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) complaint that sought the dismissal of the charges against Trump.
No comments:
Post a Comment