Atlanta District Attorney Fani Willis faces a judge’s order to disclose her communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the January 6 Committee to Judicial Watch.
At a Glance
- Fani Willis ordered to disclose all communications with Jack Smith and the January 6 Committee to Judicial Watch.
- Judge McBurney cited a breach of open-records laws for not responding to an August 2023 request.
- The court ruling led by Judicial Watch aims to uncover alleged improper coordination.
- A hearing on attorney fees is set for December 20.
Court Orders Disclosure
Atlanta District Attorney Fani Willis must reveal communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee to Judicial Watch by court order. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney found that Willis breached open-records regulations by not responding to requests from Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group. This disclosure includes records related to Willis’s controversial prosecution over alleged 2020 election interference in Georgia, where former President Trump attempted to influence outcomes.
Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit in March after being denied access to communications between Willis’s office and the federal officials. The group claims that Willis’s interactions suggest improper coordination, which Willis must now lay bare. Attorney fees regarding Judicial Watch’s legal win will be at the forefront of an upcoming court hearing scheduled for December 20.
Legal Repercussions and Criticisms
Judge McBurney mandated that Willis provide the requested records within five business days. This ruling marks the first instance of default by a government official for failing to appear in court over an open records lawsuit. The lawsuit revealed more than procedural failures; it highlighted criticisms against Willis, including her alleged affair with Nathan Wade, whom she hired for the Trump prosecution.
“Fani Willis is something else. We’ve been doing this work for 30 years, and this is the first time in our experience a government official has been found in default for not showing up in court to answer an open records lawsuit,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said.
The contentious backdrop reflects ongoing grievances that intersect with Willis’s high-profile case against Trump. These legal struggles bring to light the remaining charges in Georgia concerning alleged election interference, while other federal cases against Trump have been dropped.
Judge Orders Fani Willis to Release All Communications with Jack Smith and J6 Committee https://t.co/7gO2syTYF6
— Ultra Maga Florida Man (@arweiss12053) December 3, 2024
Broader Implications
Judicial Watch’s victory uncovers new evidence of potential prior engagements between Willis’s office, federal officials, and the January 6 Committee, suggesting historic records should indeed exist. Their lawsuit also includes a December 2021 letter where Willis requested committee assistance, indicating an eagerness to meet in Washington, D.C. This exposes a significant contradiction, considering Willis’s earlier claims of no communications records existing.
“Fani Willis and Fulton County seem to have provided false information about having no records of communications with Jack Smith and the Pelosi January 6 committee,” according to Tom Fitton.
Judicial Watch previously pursued legal action to examine communications between Jack Smith’s office and the Fulton County DA regarding federal assistance. These inquiries feed into nationwide scrutiny over transparency and accountability among officials involved in investigating past election processes.
