Jim Jordan gives Fani Willis deadline to hand over documents in Trump investigation probe
DA Fani WIllis given deadline by Rep. Jim Jordan
Congressman Jim Jordan has given Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis a deadline to turn over documents. It’s part of an investigation into allegations that she colluded with the Biden administration while investigating President-elect Donald Trump.
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Republican Rep. Jim Jordan has given Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office a deadline to provide them with information as part of an investigation into whether the district attorney colluded with the Department of Justice under the Biden Administration.
In a letter to Willis, Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said that Willis had failed to give the committee its requested documents and communications connected to her office's indictment of President-elect Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants on election interference and RICO charges.
The committee also asked for any documentation and communications between Willis and the House's January 6 Select Committee in December 2023.
Jordan has accused Willis of conspiring with the Justice Department, expressing concerns about the motivations behind her investigations.
Representative Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, during a hearing in Washington, DC, on Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In response to the request, Willis sent a nine-page letter accusing Jordan of abusing his authority as chairman and of violating the U.S. Constitution by trying to interfere with and obstruct her office’s prosecution.
"Your public statements and your letter itself make clear that you lack any legitimate legislative purpose for that inquiry: your job description as a legislator does not include criminal law enforcement, nor does it include supervising a specific criminal trial because you believe that doing so will promote your partisan political objectives," Willis wrote.
In January, Jordan announced a separate investigation into whether Willis misused funds in the hiring and payment of Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor who had been working on the county's election investigation and who had a relationship at one time with the district attorney.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis arrives for the final arguments in her disqualification hearing at the Fulton County Courthouse on March 1, 2024, in Atlanta. (Photo by ALEX SLITZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Jordan has given Willis until 5 p.m. on Dec. 9 to comply with the committee's request.
Judge rules Fani Willis violated Open Records Act
Jordan's request comes days after a Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled that her office violated Georgia's Open Records Act by not turning over records to a conservative watchdog group asking for the same communications the representative was looking for.
The judge ruled on Tuesday that Willis must turn over those records to Judicial Watch. In addition, the DA’s office could be on the line for legal fees in the case.
DA Willis violated open records act, judge rules
Meanwhile, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis suffered a defeat in a civil case over open records. A Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled that Willis violated the Georgia Open Records Act after she did not provide records relating to Special Counsel Jack Smith and communications with U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.
The default judgment was ordered after Willis’ office failed to respond to the lawsuit filed in March.
The judge ordered Willis to conduct a "diligent search" of the district attorney's office's records within five business days and to provide Judicial Watch "with copies of all responsive records that are not legally exempted or excepted from disclosure."