(The Center Square) – The chairman of a Georgia Senate committee investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said he wants to be “nice guys again first” in an effort to get Willis to comply with a subpoena to testify.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Judge Shukura L. Ingram denied Willis’ efforts to quash the subpoena issued by the Senate Special Committee on Investigations last year. The panel is tasked with determining the use of tax dollars in the prosecution of President Donald Trump and others.
Josh Belinfante, an attorney representing the committee, told the panel Wednesday he asked Wills’ attorney, former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, for a time she could appear. Barnes told him that because of Willis’ travel plans and court obligations, it would be the end of April or early May, Belinfante said.
“Let’s be nice guys again first,” said Chairman Bill Cowsert, R-Athens. “Let’s reach out to her counsel and suggest either a Thursday or Friday beginning the last week of April, the first two weeks of May. And if they agree to a date, then we will issue a subpoena. And I believe they will honor their word.”
Other committee members were not so sure that Willis would honor the subpoena.
“We’ve gone through these steps several times,” said Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia. “Would it be appropriate and would the committee consider authorizing counsel if a date cannot be set for appearance before May 10 to authorize him to file a motion with the court asking the court to set the date for the personal commission?”
The committee approved Tillery’s motion with Democrats Jason Esteves and Harold Jones casting “no” votes.
Tillery also recommended that Belinfante request any attorney fees for work he does after May 10. Cowsert said a formal motion was not needed and that was Belinfante’s instructions.
“Make her comply if she won’t, make her pay for your fees, make her do what the judge has already told her she’s got to do,” Cowsert said.
Belinfante told the committee he was also seeking records from former Barnes that were a part of other cases. He said he asked several times before Wednesday’s committee meeting. Barnes told him he had to ask his client, according to Belinfante.
“We candidly don’t know what document they are objecting to and what documents are there,” Belinfante said. “What we asked is give us what you have already given opposing counsel in the litigation that led to the Court of Appeals order, give us the documents that you have provided to the U.S. House of Representative pursuant to its subpoena.”
Last week, a Fulton County Superior Court judge ordered Willis to pay $54,000 to an attorney for not responding to an open records request.
Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Michael Roman, a defendant in the case against Trump, posted the court order on social media. Judge Rachel Krause said the lack of response by Willis’ office was “intentional, not done in good faith, and were substantially groundless and vexatious.”
Willis’ office told WSB-TV that an appeal over the Open Records Act ruling is planned.
