Fulton County DA Fani Willis Fined and Ordered to Comply with Open Records Law
Judge orders DA Fani Willis to pay $54K in attorney fees for violating open records law in Trump election interference case.
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Overview
Fulton County DA Fani Willis has been ordered to pay over $54,000 in attorney fees for violating Georgia’s Open Records Act. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause found that Willis's office was hostile and intentionally non-compliant with records requests from attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Michael Roman, indicted alongside Trump for alleged election interference in Georgia. The judge ruled that Willis's failures were intentional and lacked good faith, prompting an appeal from her office. Despite controversies, Willis won reelection in November, amid significant scrutiny over her management of the Trump case, now complicated by conflicts of interest.
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The judge determined that DA Fani Willis's office exhibited 'open hostility' and lacked good faith in handling records requests from attorney Ashleigh Merchant, finding their actions to be intentional and substantially groundless.
The case against Trump and others is in a precarious position due to Willis's disqualification. The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that Willis and her office could not continue the prosecution due to an appearance of impropriety related to a personal relationship with a special prosecutor.
DA Fani Willis's office plans to appeal the order requiring them to pay over $54,000 in attorney fees and to comply with the Open Records Act by providing the requested documents.
Merchant requested reports on how DA Willis's statements were received by the public, a copy of the non-disclosure agreement signed by DA office employees, and a list of hired attorneys.
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