Latest news with #GeorgiaSenateSpecialCommitteeonInvestigations
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fani Willis 'thinks she's above the law,' says Georgia lawmaker in subpoena fight
A Georgia state subcommittee and its attorney expressed during a hearing Wednesday that having Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis arrested for flouting subpoenas remains an option, though they fell short of saying they'd take that action yet. The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations had its attorney, Josh Belinfante, provide an update on the months of back-and-forth in the courts and with Willis' lawyers on a subpoena for documents related to her investigation into President Donald Trump for alleged election interference, as well as a second subpoena for her to testify. Willis has been challenging the subpoenas since Sept. 3, 2024, but the court has ruled the subpoenas are lawful. Fani Willis Ordered To Pay $54K For Violating Open Records Laws In Trump Case Committee Chair Sen. Bill Coswert instructed Belinfante to reach out to Wade's counsel again and "suggest either a Thursday or Friday at the beginning of the last week of April or the first two weeks of May." "And if they will agree to a date, then we'll issue the subpoena, and I think they will honor their word. If not, we're going to have a whole other problem," he said. "And same thing on the documents, just say we've hit the end of our road. We need them by April 15th. You've already agreed to give them to us, and if they say they won't, we're going to have to circle back with you." Read On The Fox News App Sen. Steve Gooch asked what would typically happen if a district attorney, such as Willis, issued a subpoena for someone to show up in court and if that person neglected to appear. "That person could be held in criminal contempt," Belinfante said. "Arrested?" Gooch asked. To that, the attorney replied, "Could be." Members, including Sen. Greg Dolezal, stressed that the committee had already been given the runaround as Willis had challenged their subpoenas and the court backed them, then she challenged them again. "The DA has thumbed her nose at this committee, she has thumbed her nose at Georgia's open record law, and I just have limited confidence that she's acting in good faith. So I do believe that we may be at the point that we do need to escalate this to the next step," he said. Georgia Appeals Court Disqualifies Da Fani Willis And Her Team From Trump Election Interference Case The hearing comes as the Daily Mail obtained photos of Willis and former special prosecutor in the Trump case Nathan Wade traveling together at Los Angeles' airport. "What is our legal obligation to show deference to her personal travel schedule?" Dolezal said. "There's not one," Belifante said. Dolezal said the courts, in a separate open records case, called her office "openly hostile" and "substantially groundless and vexatious." "I think that we have here is an individual who thinks she's above the law, and I don't think that the people of Georgia want this committee to wait for her to decide that she wants to appear based on her travel schedule with Mr. Wade, her travel schedule otherwise," he said. Belifante said that in December, as repeated judges recused themselves from the case and it was passed to a different county, the committee assured Willis that they would not send the sergeant at arms or consider her in contempt. But months have passed since then. Belifante said Willis' attorney told him this month her "travel schedule" meant she wouldn't be available to testify until late April or May. The attorney testified that some of the documents the committee is seeking Willis has already handed over to the U.S. House of Representatives and Court of Appeals, and her counsel has no further legal avenue to appeal the subpoenas. "That has expired and there is no appealable order at this time because we reached [an] agreement with them. There is nothing to appeal on the prior documents subpoena. It is moot because there is that agreement," Belifante said. "On the witness, we think they've waived the argument long ago, and so that time is gone and even then, it would take both superior courts to decide whether to allow an appeal to proceed, but that time is gone. There's no final order right now."Original article source: Fani Willis 'thinks she's above the law,' says Georgia lawmaker in subpoena fight
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Senate committee pushes for subpoena enforcement in DA Willis probe
The Brief The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations has been reauthorized to investigate allegations of misconduct involving Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis, linked to the Georgia election interference case involving former President Donald Trump. The committee is seeking enforcement of a legislative subpoena against Willis, claiming she has waived objections and failed to prove her privilege claims, with the court previously denying her petition for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief. Willis has agreed to provide certain documents related to her election interference case, but disputes remain unresolved, and the court has yet to rule on the committee's motion to compel her testimony. ATLANTA - The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations is asking a Fulton County judge to enforce a legislative subpoena against District Attorney Fani Willis. In a motion filed last week, attorneys for the state legislative branch argued Willis has waived her objections and failed to prove her claims of privilege. The backstory The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations, chaired by state Sen. Bill Cowsert, has been reauthorized this year by Senate Resolution 5 to investigate allegations of misconduct involving Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis and her former special prosecutor, Nathan Wade. This investigation has gained significant attention due to its connection to the Georgia election interference case involving former President Donald Trump. What we know The committee is urging a Fulton County judge to enforce a legislative subpoena against Willis, arguing that she has waived her objections and failed to substantiate her claims of privilege. In a recent court filing, attorneys for the committee responded to Willis' arguments regarding her compliance with subpoenas issued by the panel. Click to open this PDF in a new window. The Superior Court of Fulton County previously denied Willis' petition for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief in December 2024, and after Willis failed to appeal that ruling, the court directed her to clarify objections she raised to a witness subpoena and a subpoena duces tecum, which seeks documents. Willis has agreed to produce documents she previously shared with the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and in public filings related to her election interference case against Trump. Both sides agree this satisfies her current obligation under the subpoena duces tecum but does not resolve future disputes. What they're saying The committee contends that Willis' updated response remains deficient. "Petitioner has waived her objections to the Witness Subpoena and this Court should order Petitioner comply with the Witness Subpoena at a time and date designated by the Special Committee," attorneys for the committee wrote. They also argue that Willis has not proven an attorney-client relationship with Wade, stating both acted as agents of the Fulton County District Attorney's Office rather than in a traditional client-attorney structure. "Petitioner's characterization of the purported attorney-client relationship between herself, the FCDA, and Mr. Wade is inaccurate," the committee's lawyers wrote. The other side Willis, represented by former Gov. Roy Barnes and attorney John R. Bartholomew of The Barnes Law Group, has claimed that the committee's subpoenas are now moot. However, the panel reiterated that the court has already rejected that argument, noting the Senate reauthorized the committee in the current session and that such matters are "capable of repetition yet evading review." Willis' objections based on law enforcement privilege were also dismissed by the committee's attorneys, who argued that the privilege does not apply outside the context of open records law. "Petitioner enjoys no 'Law Enforcement Privilege' against the disclosure of records compelled by a legislative subpoena," the filing asserts. What's next The court has not yet ruled on the committee's motion to compel Willis to testify. The legal fight continues to draw national attention due to its ties to the Georgia election interference case and broader scrutiny of Willis' conduct in that prosecution. The committee is represented by attorneys Josh Belinfante and Vincent R. Russo of the Robbins Firm. SEE ALSO: Fulton County DA Fani Willis ordered to pay $54K to attorney in Trump case Georgia's reimbursement bill would allow Trump to recover costs Fulton County judge rejects DA Willis' Bid to quash Senate committee subpoenas Georgia Senate committee to reissue subpoena for DA Fani Willis in Trump election probe Trump's mug shot from Fulton County Jail hangs in White House The Source Details for this article come from court documents obtained from the Fulton County Superior Court and previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting.
