Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis — who is facing backlash over allegedly misusing public funds in appointing her secret lover — was previously removed from another case involving the 2020 election results in Georgia.
Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney prohibited Willis from building a case against Georgia state Sen. Burt Jones, who was running for lieutenant governor at the time, after Willis hosted a fundraiser for Democratic candidate Charlie Bailey in his runoff race, NBC News reported. McBurney reportedly ruled that Willis’ involvement in the fundraiser was “harmful” to the investigation into Jones, who allegedly was involved with other state Republicans to flip the 2020 election results using an alternate slate of electors.
McBurney, however, said Willis’ involvement would prompt “entirely reasonable concerns of politically motivated persecution,” according to the outlet.
“Any decision the district attorney makes about Senator Jones in connection with the grand jury investigation is necessarily infected by it,” McBurney ruled, according to NBC News. (RELATED: CNN Legal Analyst Says Lawyer Hired By Fani Willis Is Doing Something That Raises Serious Questions)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 14: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis arrives to speak at a news conference at the Fulton County Government building on August 14, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
McBurney said Willis’ donation to a Democrat campaign was not disqualifying in itself but that the donation “added to the weight of the conflict created by the more extensive, direct, public and job-related campaign work the district attorney performed on behalf of candidate Bailey.”
“This choice — which the district attorney was within her rights as an elected official to make — has consequences,” McBurney ruled, according to NBC News. “She had bestowed her office’s imprimatur upon Senator Jones’s opponent.”
Willis had issued subpoenas for Jones and others in the investigation and Willis was permitted to continue her involvement in the investigation of the other “fake electors.”
McBurney also ruled another prosecutor would have to bring charges against Jones.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (C) attends a press conference at the Atlanta Police headquarters following a shooting at Northside Hospital medical facility on May 3, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 14: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks during a news conference at the Fulton County Government building on August 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. A grand jury today handed up an indictment naming former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies over an alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
Willis is currently under fire for allegedly misusing county funds in her decision to appoint her alleged lover, Nathan Wade, as outside counsel in their case against Trump. Willis hired Wade & Campbell Firm, with partner Christopher Campbell being hired to provide services as a “Taint Attorney,” which is someone who reviews privileged evidence. Wade was appointed in November of 2021 to serve as special prosecutor in the case against Trump despite an alleged love affair.
Bank statements show Wade purchased flight tickets in Willis’ name for personal vacations. Wade’s firm has been paid roughly $654,000 from Willis’ office since 2022. Questions about her involvement and whether she should be recused from the case have since arisen.