ATLANTA – Georgia House of Representatives on Monday passed a bill that would restore a commission with the power to discipline and fire prosecutors, a move Democrats say is overdue for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ prosecution of former President Donald Trump. It warns that the purpose is to interfere with the
The House passed House Bill 881 95-75 along party lines, sending it to the Senate for further discussion.
A similar bill was introduced out of a Senate committee last week.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a bill last year creating the Prosecuting Attorney Qualifications Commission, but the commission began operating after the state Supreme Court in November refused to approve rules governing its conduct. could not.
The justices said there were “serious questions” about the district attorney’s ability to regulate his duties beyond the practice of law.
Monday’s action removes the requirement for Supreme Court approval.
“This committee will now be able to begin the real work of bringing accountability to unscrupulous prosecuting attorneys who abuse their positions,” said Rep. Joseph Garrett, R-Dallas, who sponsored the bill.
Mr. Garrett and some other Republicans cited examples of prosecutorial misconduct in the past, such as when Democrats supported the idea of a prosecutorial oversight board, and argued that the measure was directly targeted at Mr. Willis. denying something.
But Democratic opposition to the commission is growing, saying Republicans are trying to override the will of Democratic voters.
“The committee could proceed unilaterally and would have the ability to interfere and undermine the ongoing investigation into Donald J. Trump,” said House Minority Whip Sam Park, D-Lawrenceville. ” he said. “You are taking action to protect former President Trump from ongoing criminal prosecution.”
On Friday, senators approved the creation of a special investigative committee, with Republicans hiring attorney Nathan Wade as a special prosecutor to investigate whether Willis used state funds for his own benefit. It is said that it will be used for
President Trump on Thursday joined co-defendant Michael Roman’s effort to expel Willis, Wade and their firm from the case.
Mr. Roman’s attorney, Ashley Merchant, filed a motion on January 8 accusing Mr. Willis of having an inappropriate romantic relationship with Mr. Wade, creating a conflict of interest.
Willis has yet to publicly respond to the allegations of a romantic relationship with Wade. But she vigorously defended Wade and her credentials at a Jan. 14 service honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at a black church in Atlanta.
There, she suggested that the interrogation of Wade may be rooted in racism.
Wade’s divorce filing states that after he was hired as special counsel, he bought a flight with Willis to Miami in October 2022 and a flight to San Francisco in their names in April. Contains a credit card statement showing the purchase of a ticket.
Republicans claim Mr. Willis was improperly motivated by personal gain in hiring Mr. Wade.
Kemp said he wanted Willis’s misconduct allegations to be investigated by the Prosecution Oversight Committee, rather than a Senate committee, and on Monday called on the Senate to quickly pass the bill. But Democrats warn that if the requirement for a Supreme Court review of the rules is removed, the commission itself could lose oversight.
The measure would also make it difficult for courts to overturn commission actions by imposing a high standard of review.
“The question we should all be asking is: Who will oversee this committee?” said Rep. Tanya Miller, an Atlanta Democrat. “Who are they accountable to? Not the voters, of course, because they are not elected. This should frighten all of us.”
Georgia’s law is one of several attempts nationwide by Republicans to control prosecutors they don’t like.
Republicans are criticizing progressive prosecutors after some prosecutors are filing fewer drug possession cases and seeking shorter sentences, arguing that Democrats are coddling criminals. .
“Once you talk to the victims of district attorneys across this state who are failing in their jobs, you’ll understand why we can’t delay it any longer,” said Rep. Houston Gaines, R-Athens.
