Georgia Republicans unveiled a one-two punch Friday targeting Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis.
Last year, Willis obtained an indictment of former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants on charges that they were involved in a conspiracy to interfere with the results of the 2020 election.
In recent days, Willis has come under fire amid allegations of a personal relationship with Nathan Wade, the prosecutor she appointed to oversee the investigation into Trump. Documents unsealed as part of Wade's divorce case indicated that they traveled together.
Republican state Rep. Charles Byrd on Friday introduced a resolution calling for Willis' impeachment.
“With freedom at stake, bold action is necessary.” It is time for the Legislature to do its constitutional duty and hold Fulton D. accountable. A corrupt Fanny Willis, which is why I introduced HR 872, Articles of Impeachment against Fanny Willis,” Byrd wrote in his post. Share on X.
With freedom at stake, bold action is necessary. It is time for the Legislature to do its constitutional duty and hold the corrupt Fulton D. Fannie Willis accountable, which is why I introduced H.R. 872, Articles of Impeachment against Fannie Willis. Read my full statement below: pic.twitter.com/o4xqP4ZdTX
– Rep. Charles Byrd (@charlice_byrd) January 26, 2024
In an accompanying statement, Byrd said Willis sought to prosecute Trump and his co-defendants “because of their constitutional right to question the integrity of the 2020 election count.”
“The First Amendment remains the bedrock of this country, and Fanny Willis cannot repeal it because she suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Byrd said in the statement. “It is time for our state lawmakers to draw a line in the sand and put an end to its refusal to respect the Constitution.”
“Willis has also been scrutinized for a potential conflict of interest in hiring a potential paramour in the case against Trump,” the statement noted.
“Fanny Willis has a long list of potential conflicts that make her unworthy and unfit to be Fulton County District Attorney. A person elected to this office is expected to uphold the law and not use her position as a weapon for political gain. From the first day she was elected,” Byrd said in the statement. “Fanny Willis has embarrassed the criminal justice system in Fulton County and our state.”
“The time to act is now, and I encourage my colleagues in the General Assembly to join me and fire Fannie Willis,” Baird concluded.
The resolution accused Willis of “irregularities, authoritarian bias, and oppression” in charging Trump and the other defendants.
It also said Willis “entered into an inappropriate relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade” and paid Lloyd approximately $700,000; and that “as a result of Fannie T. Willis’s inappropriate relationship with Nathan Wade, she benefited financially.”
While Byrd sought to impeach Willis, Georgia Senate Republicans on Friday formed a committee to investigate the allegations against her revolving around Wade, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The decision to form the committee passed by a party-line vote of 30 to 19.
Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal said senators have an obligation to know how public money is spent.
“This decision is about a Georgia state officer, within a Georgia state department, and how they use state funds,” he said. “This falls squarely within what we should be talking about and what we should be addressing.”
“It's becoming more and more clear that this was a prosecution for personal gain,” Republican state Sen. Brandon Beach said.
“I hope this investigative committee will use its powers to subpoena witnesses and records to explore whether state funds were spent on these lavish trips and fine dining.” [restaurants]. Did security personnel travel on these trips and who paid for their expenses? Did Mrs. Willis break any ethical law by not disclosing any gifts she received? He said.
This article originally appeared in The Western Journal.
