Georgia lawmakers on Friday heard testimony from Republican state senators who expressed concerns about how Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis spends her $36.6 million budget with little oversight.
State Sen. Bill Cowsert, a Republican representing Athens and chairman of the committee, asked Fulton County Commissioner Rob Pitts and Fulton County Chief Financial Officer Sharon Whitmore to explain how the DA’s office will use the funds. I received it and asked questions about how I was using it. Witnesses testified that Mr. Willis has broad discretion over taxpayer matters, including whether to hire a special prosecutor and how much to pay.
“This sounds like the Wild West to me, with Fulton County having very little control over a $36 million budget,” Cowsert said after fielding several questions about the county budget process. , said:
“We don’t know how much of that is spent on professional services, who is employed, what their hourly wage is, what their total compensation is. We know we’re wanted.’This includes a lot of these types of independent contractors that we know are funding without oversight or control, right?” He once said to Whitmore: asked.
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Georgia Republican Sen. Bill Cowsert (center, back) told Fulton County Commissioner Rob Pitts (center, front) and Fulton County Chief Financial Officer Sharon Whitmore (front row, left) during Friday’s hearing. He asked questions about how District Attorney Fani Willis’ office receives and spends tax dollars. , May 3, 2024. (Screenshot/Georgia State Senate)
“Yes, the board does not have the authority to monitor the district attorney,” the finance director responded.
Mr. Pitts testified that Mr. Willis has broad discretion in how the district attorney’s office uses funds allocated to it, and does not need prior approval to hire an independent special prosecutor to support his efforts. said.
“and [the district attorney] They don’t even have to report how the money was spent, who was hired as an independent contractor and how much they were compensated,” Cowsert asked.
“That’s right,” Pitts replied.
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Judge Scott McAfee (left), Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (center), and Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade (right). (Getty Images)
The Georgia Senate Select Committee on Investigations on Friday investigated potential conflicts of interest and public funding by Willis, who indicted former President Trump on conspiracy charges related to his efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. A third meeting was held to investigate allegations of possible misuse of . .
Willis, who is up for re-election this year, has denied any wrongdoing. According to It is said that there is. FOX 5 ATLANTA.
Georgia’s Republican-controlled Senate in January voted to create a special committee to investigate Willis amid revelations that he had an “inappropriate” affair with a junior lawyer.
special committee He has subpoena power to investigate Willis for allegedly hiring special prosecutor Nathan Wade over his alleged romantic relationship with Willis.
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Fulton County Prosecutor Fani Willis winked before being sworn in to testify at a hearing regarding her inappropriate relationship with Nathan Wade. (Screenshot/Fox News)
“This is not a political witch hunt. This is a search for truth,” Cowsert said at the select committee’s first meeting.
Lawyers for President Trump and several of his co-defendants said Willis should be disqualified from the charge and all charges against them should be dismissed.
In January, Trump’s co-defendant Michael Roman filed court documents alleging that Willis had an “improper” relationship with Wade, whom he hired to prosecute. Top Republican candidates in 2024. Roman and his lawyer argue that this relationship poses a conflict of interest and that she is unable to provide financial assistance in the form of lavish vacations that the two take using funds that Roman’s law firm receives for handling the case. He claims he was making a profit.
Ms Willis called the allegations “sneaky” and said they had no “merit”, but acknowledged in a court filing that she and Mr Wade had been “professional colleagues and friends since 2019”.
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After a hearing to consider the motion, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled that either Willis or his ex-girlfriend, Wade, must recuse themselves before the case can proceed in Fulton County. . The judge also granted President Trump and eight co-defendants permission to appeal his order.
Trump and his co-defendants formally filed a notice of appeal in March. The appeals court’s decision on whether to take up the case is expected later this month.
Fox News Digital’s Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
