Georgia Republicans issue subpoenas in probe of Fulton County DA Fani Willis

Georgia Senate panel investigates DA Fani Willis for alleged misconduct. Subpoenas issued. Investigation expected to take months. More subpoenas to come.

The Republican-led Senate panel in Georgia is conducting a thorough investigation into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, with the potential for Willis to be subpoenaed to testify. The state Senate's Special Committee on Investigations has already issued a subpoena to Ashleigh Merchant, the defense attorney involved in efforts to remove Willis from the election interference case against former President Donald Trump.

The committee's objective is to investigate allegations of misconduct by Willis, including potential conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds, in order to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system. More subpoenas are expected to be issued, with the possibility of Willis being subpoenaed in the future.

State Sen. Bill Cowsert, the committee chairman, has stated that the investigation will take several months to complete and anticipates additional subpoenas. Merchant has accused Willis of misconduct in the Trump case, alleging that she failed to disclose a romantic relationship with a special prosecutor appointed to lead the case. Willis and the special prosecutor have denied any wrongdoing.

During the Senate hearing, Merchant was asked to bring documents related to the disqualification effort, including text messages with the special prosecutor's former law partner. The committee's investigation will not interfere with the criminal prosecutions of Trump and his co-defendants, with the focus on establishing guardrails to restore public trust in the justice system.

State Sen. Jason Esteves, a Democrat on the panel, views the investigation as an attempt to divert attention from Trump and prolong controversy. The committee, formed in response to the allegations against Willis, aims to submit a written report once the investigation is complete, potentially recommending new laws or referring the case to governing authorities.