NEW: Fani Willis Forced To Turn Over Key Records Showing Anti-Trump Collusion
A Georgia judge has delivered a major blow to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, ordering her to turn over critical records related to her communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith. The ruling follows revelations that Willis initially denied the existence of such records, only to later admit their existence after facing legal pressure.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert C.I. McBurney issued the order in response to a lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch, a watchdog group that sought transparency on whether Willis coordinated with Smith, a federal prosecutor pursuing legal action against President Donald Trump. Judicial Watch had initially requested all documents and communications between Willis and Smith’s office, as well as the House January 6th Committee.
Willis had previously claimed she had no responsive records, a position she maintained until Judicial Watch secured a default judgment against her. It was later revealed that her office did, in fact, possess 212 pages of relevant documents.
Judge McBurney’s ruling forces Willis to provide these documents for review, rejecting her claim that they should remain confidential under attorney-client privilege and investigative exemptions. According to the order, Willis has five business days to deliver all identified records to the court.
She must provide a sworn affidavit detailing how her office conducted its search, including what was searched, who conducted the search, and whether personal or government-issued cell phones were examined.
McBurney’s ruling stops short of appointing a special master to oversee the review process but leaves open the possibility should further discrepancies arise. If any of the records are found to be improperly withheld, Willis will be required to justify each exemption claim through an ex parte filing under seal.
The decision marks another legal setback for Willis, who has faced growing scrutiny over her handling of the Trump case.
In December, the Georgia Court of Appeals disqualified Willis from the Trump case, citing an appearance of impropriety due to her personal relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she had appointed.
The court’s decision said that while there was no evidence of financial misconduct, the relationship could undermine public confidence in the impartiality of the prosecution. The ruling necessitated the appointment of a new prosecutor, potentially delaying the proceedings as Trump prepared to resume the presidency.
In response to such prosecutorial issues, the Georgia Senate passed a bill on March 6, allowing defendants to seek reimbursement for legal fees if a prosecutor is disqualified for misconduct and the case is dismissed.
Beyond the Trump case, Willis faced scrutiny for her handling of the Young Slime Life (YSL) gang trial, which concluded in December 2024. The trial, the longest in Georgia’s history, ended with the acquittal of the final defendants on gang and murder charges.
Additionally, a Georgia state Senate committee that had been investigating Willis is now seeking to probe Stacey Abrams. The committee aims to examine recent ethics findings related to Abrams’ 2018 gubernatorial campaign and her involvement with certain organizations.