Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis faces a $21,000 legal fee payment after a court ruling on her mismanagement of public records.
At a Glance
- Georgia judge orders Fani Willis to pay nearly $22,000 in attorney fees to Judicial Watch
- Fulton County Superior Court found Willis in default for not providing documents in response to an open records lawsuit
- Willis’s office failed to produce non-public documents after a court order
- Judicial Watch filed a motion for a special master to oversee the search for records
Court Orders Willis to Pay Legal Fees
A Georgia judge has ordered Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to pay nearly $22,000 in attorney fees to Judicial Watch for violating the Open Records Law. The Fulton County Superior Court found Willis in default for not providing documents in response to an open records lawsuit filed by the conservative watchdog group.
The lawsuit sought records of Willis’s communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the January 6 Committee. Despite initially denying the existence of such records, Willis later admitted to having communications with the January 6 Committee but claimed they were exempt from disclosure.
“Fani Willis flouted the law, and the court is right to slam her and require, at a minimum, the payment of nearly $22,000 to Judicial Watch,” said Judicial Watch President @TomFitton (2/3). https://t.co/qcVL9VTlfT
— Judicial Watch ⚖️ (@JudicialWatch) January 7, 2025
Judicial Watch’s Pursuit of Transparency
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton emphasized the importance of uncovering the full truth about Willis’ actions. The organization is involved in several other FOIA lawsuits related to prosecutorial actions against former President Trump, seeking transparency regarding potential political collusion.
“Fani Willis flouted the law, and the court is right to slam her and require, at a minimum, the payment of nearly $22,000 to Judicial Watch,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said.
The court criticized Willis for violating the Open Records Act by not conducting a search until prompted by litigation. In response to the court’s order, Willis’s office provided no non-public documents, raising concerns about the thoroughness of the records search.
Broader Implications and Ongoing Investigations
This legal fee directive serves as a reminder of the necessity of procedural compliance and maintaining transparency in public offices. The case has drawn attention to Willis’s handling of high-profile investigations, including the ongoing case against former President Donald Trump.
“Willis by her own admission conducted at least three searches before finding any responsive records not already supplied by [Judicial Watch]. She did not even bother to conduct a search until the Complaint was filed. Her records custodian says he does not know the Cellebrite [digital investigations] equipment he apparently had a hand in ordering can be used to search cell phone texts and other data. Moreover, the custodian had no standard practice for conducting searches and keeps no records of the methods used in a given search,” Judicial Watch stated.
The controversy surrounding Willis extends beyond this case. Reports indicate that she hired her partner for an organized crime case against Donald Trump, costing taxpayers approximately $600,000. These developments have intensified scrutiny of Willis’s office and its handling of high-profile legal matters.
Can you think of someone worse?
