‘No reason for further delay’: Congressional investigators now targeting Fani Willis’ staff in probe of ‘politically motivated’ Trump prosecution

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Rep. Jim Jordan‘s House Judiciary Committee are inactive astatine loggerheads implicit accusation astir failed transgression investigations into President Donald Trump.

In a bid of letters sent connected Thursday, legislature investigators pressed respective members of the territory attorney’s unit to supply grounds and documents related to the since-defunct House prime committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack. Those requests, the letters note, are a agelong clip successful the making — and person agelong been delayed.

While Jordan and his chap Republicans connected the committee person been asking Willis herself to reply questions and supply documents for astir 2 years, the contiguous unit requests began successful February.

“On February 6, 2025, the Committee wrote to you requesting documents relating to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office’s (FCDAO) coordination with the partisan January 6 Select Committee during its politically-motivated prosecution of President Donald J. Trump, and that you look for a transcribed interview,” 1 of the letters reads. “The missive asked that you comply with our requests by February 20, 2025.”

In turn, the territory attorney’s unit wrote backmost with guidance from their boss, which the latest letters partially recall.

The committee describes that guidance arsenic follows:

On that date, we received an email from you confirming receipt, and stating that you received a missive from District Attorney Fani Willis successful which she “inform[ed you] that immoderate [responsive] documents and accusation are the exclusive spot of the [FCDAO]” and that you are “not authorized to merchandise immoderate perchance responsive items to immoderate extracurricular enactment whatsoever.”

On the different hand, the epistolary communications betwixt some sides bespeak thing antithetic from outright refusals.

One staffer, Chief Senior District Attorney Donald Wakeford, wrote backmost to petition a 30-day hold to get idiosyncratic counsel and question ineligible advice, according to the existent letter addressed to him.

The committee granted the extension, the 30 days went by, and Wakeford requested different extension, according to the letter. A telephone telephone ensued and days later, Wakeford was represented by counsel who followed up with the committee.

Similar letters were sent to Deputy District Attorney Will Wooten, Assistant Chief Investigator Michael Hill, and Assistant Trina Swanson-Lucas, according to Atlanta-based Fox affiliate WAGA.

Now, Jordan and his chap Republicans suggest they mightiness beryllium adjacent to losing their patience implicit the evident stonewalling.

“It has been 70 days since the Committee archetypal requested your voluntary practice with our oversight,” the missive goes on. “Upon your request, the Committee granted you an hold for the intent of obtaining counsel to correspond you successful this matter. You person had capable clip to get counsel, and, successful fact, you presently person counsel representing you earlier the Committee. There is nary crushed for further delay.”

The archetypal committee-led enquiry into Willis began successful August 2023 with a petition for files related to her office’s “receipt and usage of national assistance funds issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.”

Two further letters asking for substantially the aforesaid materials followed successful September and December 2023.

In January 2024, the territory attorney’s fortunes began a agelong descent arsenic respective codefendants successful the racketeering (RICO) and predetermination subversion lawsuit against Trump sidelined the prosecution. This disruption — inactive ongoing — was made imaginable by Willis’ romanticist narration with since-axed, then-lead authoritative Nathan Wade.

In a lengthy conception of the existent letters, Jordan and his colleagues sketch retired the ground of their authorization to behaviour specified investigations.

“As we explained successful our February 6 missive to you, the FCDAO’s politically motivated prosecution of a President implicates important national interests, and its coordination with the partisan January 6 Select Committee raises further questions applicable to the Committee’s oversight into governmental prosecutions to pass imaginable legislative reforms,” the missive reads.

The letters besides muse astir retaliatory steps, though specified enactment mightiness beryllium considered far-fetched or, astatine least, far-off and complicated.

“For example, the Committee whitethorn see legislative proposals, specified arsenic amending the national serviceman removal statute — codified astatine 28 U.S.C. § 1442 — to broaden the criteria nether which authorities cases against national officials tin beryllium moved to national court, oregon requiring authorities prosecutors to disclose immoderate coordination with legislature committees oregon national entities erstwhile pursuing cases against existent oregon erstwhile national officials,” Jordan writes.

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The letters, however, bash not explicitly endanger thing and stay comparatively cordial.

“Please nutrient the requested documents and information, arsenic good arsenic inquire your counsel to interaction Committee unit to docket your transcribed interview,” the investigators continue.

To that end, Willis’ unit was fixed a caller deadline of 5 p.m. connected May 1 for compliance.