Fani Willis dealt blow in court over Trump case

A Georgia judge has ruled that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis must hand over records related to her communications with special counsel Jack Smith and the U.S. House January 6 Committee after failing to comply with a request under the Open Records Act (ORA). This decision came after the nonprofit group Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against Willis in March, alleging that her office claimed it did not have any documents or communications between Willis and Smith or Willis and the January 6th Committee.

Initially, Willis’ office stated that they did not possess any relevant documents. However, it was later revealed that communications did exist. As a result, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ordered Willis to produce these records within five business days. McBurney also determined that Willis had violated Georgia’s open records act by failing to respond to Judicial Watch’s lawsuit. He granted judgment by default, as Willis did not provide a sufficient defense and stated that she was not properly served.

In his ruling, McBurney emphasized that the plaintiff, Judicial Watch, was entitled to judgment by default, as Willis had failed to turn over responsive records or notify the plaintiff of her decision to withhold any documents. The judge also ordered Willis to pay Judicial Watch’s attorney’s fees. A hearing to determine the amount of these fees and costs is scheduled for December 20, 2024.

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton expressed his astonishment at Willis’ actions, stating that in their 30 years of work, this was the first time a government official had been found in default for failing to appear in court in an open records lawsuit. Fitton highlighted the importance of obtaining any documents related to Willis’ potential collusion with the Biden administration and Nancy Pelosi’s Congress in her prosecution of former President Donald Trump.

The documents sought by Judicial Watch were related to an investigation by the House Judiciary Committee into whether Willis had coordinated with the House January 6 Committee in their inquiries. Lawmakers had alleged that Willis had requested the sharing of evidence with her office.

Willis made headlines last year when she charged Trump and 18 others with various offenses related to an alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, which included violation of the Georgia RICO Act, criminal solicitation, criminal conspiracy, filing false documents, and making false statements.

While four defendants took plea deals in exchange for testifying against others, the case against Trump remains pending. The Court of Appeals in Georgia had been scheduled to hear arguments regarding Willis’ ability to prosecute the case, but these were canceled in November.

Overall, the ruling against Willis underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in government operations. By ordering the disclosure of communication records and holding Willis accountable for her lack of compliance, the court has reaffirmed the principles of open governance and the public’s right to access information.