Fulton County Ethics Board Makes Last Minute Decision Regarding Fani Willis
Fulton County Board of Ethics Decides at Last Minute Not to Review Two Complaints Against Fani Willis
Just before a meeting scheduled for Thursday to consider two complaints against Fani Willis, the Fulton County Board of Ethics decided not to review them.
The decision came because the board found it lacks jurisdiction to enforce the code of ethics against Willis, as she is a state constitutional officer, as stated by mulieple reports. Initially, the meeting agenda had listed two ethics complaints against Willis but was later amended to exclude them.
“The Fulton County Code of Ethics only applies to county officers and employees,” a board member stated, according to a video posted by Atlanta News First reporter Doug Reardon.
“The Fulton County district attorney does not fall within the definition of a county officer.”
Uncertainty surrounds whether the meeting has been entirely canceled, given that the provided Zoom link for public access leads to an invalid notice.
Gregory Mantell, who operates the Substack blog Investigative News Service, filed one complaint due to “the DA’s illegal refusal to release certain financial records, including Nathan Wade’s invoices, under Georgia’s public records law.”
Steven Kramer, a Fulton County resident, filed the other complaint as per the agenda.
The board clarified its lack of jurisdiction over Willis, an elected state officer, emphasizing ongoing state-level investigations.
Defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who in January filed the motion to disqualify Willis on behalf of Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, testified Wednesday about her findings on the district attorney’s relationship with Nathan Wade during a Georgia State Senate hearing. The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations convened its first meeting on February 9 to address allegations of misconduct by Willis, including potential conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds, aiming to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Judge Scott McAfee, after closing arguments on Friday regarding the motion to disqualify Willis, announced his intention to issue a ruling within two weeks.
Willis faced criticism for not disclosing plane tickets and other purchases made on her behalf by Wade on her 2022 financial disclosure form, which mandates the reporting of any gift or favor from a “prohibited source” exceeding $100.
“The State Ethics Code specifically references its application to district attorneys,” the board remarked in a statement.
“Accordingly, any ethics complaint against the district attorney of any county would be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the State Ethics Commission.”