Georgia lawmakers on Friday expressed concerns over the limited oversight of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ $36.6 million budget during a hearing. The hearing forms part of an ongoing investigation into potential conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds by Willis, who indicted former President Trump on conspiracy charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Witnesses, including Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts and Chief Financial Officer Sharon Whittmore, testified that Willis has broad discretion over the use of taxpayer dollars allocated to her office. She is not required to obtain pre-approval for hiring independent special counsel to assist with her activities.
State Sen. Bill Cowsert, a Republican representing Athens and chairman of the committee, questioned the witnesses about the county’s budget process and the lack of oversight over Willis’ spending. He expressed concerns that the board of commissioners has no authority to oversee the district attorney’s expenditures.
Whittmore confirmed that the finance chief does not have oversight over the district attorney’s office. Pitts further stated that Willis has wide discretion in spending the funds appropriated for her office and is not obligated to report back on how the money was spent or who was hired as an independent contractor.
The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations convened its third meeting on Friday to probe the allegations against Willis, who is up for re-election this year and has denied any wrongdoing. The findings of this legislative probe could inform acts by the Georgia legislature to reform laws or adjust the state appropriations process with the intention of restoring public confidence in the district attorney’s office, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Georgia’s GOP-controlled Senate voted in January to form a special committee to investigate Wilis amid revelations she had an ‘improper’ affair with subordinate counsel. The special committee has subpoena power to investigate Willis over allegations she hired special prosecutor Nathan Wade for the case because of their alleged romantic relationship.
Trump and attorneys for several of his co-defendants have argued that Willis should be disqualified over the allegations and all charges against them dismissed. In January, Trump co-defendant Michael Roman filed court documents alleging that Willis had been having an “improper” affair with Wade, whom she hired to help prosecute the 2024 GOP front-runner.
Roman and his lawyers argue the relationship created a conflict of interest and that she benefited financially from it in the form of lavish vacations the two took using funds his law firm received for working the case. Willis has called the allegations “salacious” and said they have no “merit,” though she admitted in a court filing that she and Wade have been “professional associates and friends since 2019.”
After a hearing to consider the allegations, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled that either Willis or her ex-lover Wade must step aside for the case to proceed in Fulton County. The judge also gave Trump and eight co-defendants permission to appeal his order. Trump and the co-defendants filed an official notice of appeal in March. A decision from the Court of Appeals on whether to take up the case is expected later this month.
