New drama unfolding around Fani Willis' spending
Fox News' Jonathan Serrie reports on a Georgia Senate committee investigating the Fulton County DA's use of public funds.
The prosecutor in former President Donald Trump's racketeering case in Georgia is appealing a judge's decision to drop multiple charges against the former commander in chief.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee previously ruled in March that six charges against Trump and his co-defendants lacked sufficient detail and should be dismissed.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis filed a notice of appeal against that decision on Thursday. The prosecutor did not indicate why the dismissal should be reversed.
Three of the six counts set to be dropped include Trump as a defendant. The original indictment included 41 counts between the former president and his co-defendants.
FANI WILLIS' EX-STAFFER TESTIFIES SHE WAS FIRED AFTER BLOWING WHISTLE ON DA'S SPENDING
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis looks on during a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta. (Alex Slitz-Pool/Getty Images)
Trump's legal team is appealing to remove Willis from the case following allegations that she had an "improper" affair with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she hired to help prosecute the case.
McAfee ruled that the romantic relationship between the two prosecutors did not compromise the integrity of the trial, though a Georgia appeals court has agreed to hear an appeal on this decision.
President Donald Trump waves as he leaves after speaking at a campaign rally at Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon, Georgia, on Oct. 16, 2020. (Associated Press)
Willis won her primary election on Tuesday by a sweeping margin over her Democratic challenger.
"Tonight they delivered a strong and a powerful message," Willis said in her acceptance speech. "They want a district attorney that believes everyone deserves to be safe. And everyone is entitled to some dignity. And it's a message that's pissing folks off. But there is no one above the law in this country. Nor is there anyone beneath it."
Georgia's GOP-controlled Senate voted in January to form a special committee to investigate Willis amid the revelations of her romantic affair with Wade.
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Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee listens to testimony at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on Feb. 15. (Alyssa Pointer/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images )
Previous state Senate committee hearings revealed that oversight of Willis' $36 million budget was "like the Wild West, very little control," State Sen. Bill Cowsert, a Republican representing Athens and chairman of the committee, said.
At that hearing earlier this month, Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts and Fulton County Chief Financial Officer Sharon Whittmore testified that Willis has broad discretion over those taxpayer dollars, including whether to hire a special prosecutor and how much they should be paid.
Pitts also testified that Willis did not have to get any pre-approval for hiring an independent special counsel to assist with her activities.
Fox News' Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
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