A group of thirty Republican state senators in Georgia is supporting a proposal to initiate an inquiry into allegations of misconduct against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Willis is accused of appointing her romantically involved, allegedly underqualified partner to oversee the 2020 election fraud case involving former President Donald Trump and 18 others.
State Senator Greg Dolezal introduced Senate Resolution 465 on Monday, aiming to establish a special senate committee with subpoena powers dedicated to investigating the charges against Willis.
Dolezal expressed confidence that the committee would be approved swiftly, given the support of the thirty Republican sponsors.
According to the resolution, the proposed nine-member committee, including at least three Democrats, would be responsible for examining “various forms of misconduct” related to Willis’s handling of cases connected to the 2020 Presidential Election.
Willis, who indicted Trump and others in August under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute, faces allegations of a conflict of interest and fraud if public funds were used to hire a prosecutor with whom she had a romantic relationship.
Dolezal clarified that the committee would not have the authority to impose disciplinary measures but would produce a report and recommendations. He emphasized the state’s interest in investigating potential misuse of funds, as Georgia allocates around $30 million annually to the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia.
The move for a senate investigation follows a motion filed in court by attorney Ashleigh Merchant, representing a co-defendant, Michael Roman, who accused Willis of appointing her partner without legal authority and misusing allocated funds. Receipts revealed their joint travels, raising questions about a possible romantic relationship.
Willis, elected as Fulton County’s district attorney in 2020, previously asserted that the allegations against her were racially motivated but did not confirm or deny the romantic involvement with her partner.
This push for a senate investigation comes five months after another state senator, Colton Moore, advocated for a special session to investigate, defund, and impeach Willis. Moore’s plan was rejected by Governor Brian Kemp and other Senate Republicans, resulting in Moore’s removal from the Georgia Senate Republican Caucus.
While the investigation is seen by some, like Moore, as a step in the right direction, others emphasize the need for a fair examination of the facts, regardless of political affiliations.
The focus is on understanding the alleged misuse of state and county funds rather than being directly tied to the underlying case involving Trump and other defendants.
