Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis defied a Georgia Senate subpoena on Sept. 13, skipping a hearing where she was compelled to testify about her conduct.
The state Senateâs Special Committee on Investigations subpoenaed Willis in August for her testimony and all documents related to her relationship with former special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
The panel is probing several allegations against the district attorney, including claims of an improper relationship with Wade, misuse of public funds, and prosecutorial misconduct. But when it came time for Willis to testify on those matters, she didnât show.
âLetâs please note for the record that Ms. Willis has failed to appear in compliance with the subpoena and has failed to produce documents requested by our subpoena for the production of documents,â said Republican state Sen. Bill Cowsert, chairman of the committee.
The committee instead heard testimony from legislative counsel Stuart Morelli and David Cook, the former secretary of the state Senate, on whether its investigation and subpoenas were valid.
Morelli advised that it was âa near-universal findingâ of the nationâs courts that legislative bodies and committees have investigative power.
Cook agreed with that assessment. He added that, by law, the state Senate has the constitutional authority to enforce subpoenas through contempt proceedings or judicial enforcement.
While that discussion took place, Willis was in Washington, participating in a panel discussion hosted by Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) on âFighting in the Age of MAGA.â An advertisement for the panel that Willis shared via social media said it would focus on âfighting in the current politically violent climate.â
The event was part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundationâs Annual Legislative Conference.
Willisâs office did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
Willis tried to block the Senateâs subpoenas by filing for an injunction last week. That effort was stymied when three Superior Court judges recused themselves from her case. Among them was Judge Scott McAfee, the presiding judge in Willisâs 2020 election interference case against former President Donald Trump.
McAfee also removed three other counts in March. The latest reduction brings the total number of charges Trump is fighting in the case down to eight.
Sam Dorman contributed to this report.