Judge Makes Decision On State Lawmakers Subpoena’s In Fulton County Case

By
Rachel Stevenson
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Oh, how the mighty have fallen—or at least stumbled a bit—down in Georgia. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, once the darling of the left for her aggressive prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump, is now on the defensive. A Georgia judge has ruled that state lawmakers can subpoena her as part of an investigation into whether her office overstepped its bounds in its high-profile racketeering case against Trump and his allies.

For those keeping score, this isn’t just a bad look; it’s a political implosion wrapped in legal drama. Judge Shukura Ingram’s ruling essentially puts Willis in the hot seat, demanding that she explain her actions under oath. And let’s be clear, she’s not thrilled about it. Her lawyer, former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes, has already signaled an appeal, calling the ruling “wrong.” Of course, when the court says you’ve crossed the line, that’s a tough argument to make.

What’s particularly juicy here is that this ruling follows Willis’s earlier disqualification from the Trump racketeering case. The appeals court didn’t mince words, citing an “appearance of impropriety” tied to her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Let’s break that down: the court essentially said that public confidence in the integrity of the proceedings was shot. That’s not a slap on the wrist—it’s a full-on facepalm.

And about that relationship with Wade? Well, it’s messy. Testimony has surfaced suggesting that Wade made late-night visits to a condo owned by Willis before his hiring. Calls, texts, and those oh-so-telling cell phone pings paint a picture that’s, shall we say, unprofessional at best. Ashleigh Merchant, a lawyer for one of Trump’s co-defendants, laid it all out, leaving little to the imagination. Midnight visits, phone calls, radio silence for hours—it’s less “law and order” and more like an episode of Scandal.

But wait, there’s more. Wade also admitted to meeting with the Biden White House while working on the Trump case. Let that sink in. The man tasked with prosecuting Trump for alleged election interference was chatting with White House staff “on several occasions.” And if that doesn’t raise a few eyebrows, reports suggest he was brushing up on racketeering laws at their urging. Both Willis and Wade deny coordinating with the White House, but at this point, that denial feels about as solid as a wet paper bag.

This brings us to the Georgia State Senate committee, which sent subpoenas to Willis back in August. She was a no-show, dodging the hearing where lawmakers were poised to grill her on everything from her prosecutorial conduct to her timeline with Wade. Now, Judge Ingram’s ruling leaves her with no choice but to show up and face the music.

Republican State Senator Greg Doleful summed it up well, saying the ruling confirmed what many suspected: Willis’s arguments against testifying didn’t hold water. “I look forward to D.A. Willis honoring the subpoena,” he quipped, no doubt with a smirk.

For someone who seemed so eager to hold others accountable, Willis is doing a remarkable job of avoiding accountability herself. Whether it’s the questionable timeline with Wade, alleged coordination with the White House, or the appearance of impropriety that’s now tainted her office, this is one legal drama Democrats probably didn’t want on their 2024 bingo card. Grab the popcorn—this one’s far from over.

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