Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is under mounting legal pressure after a Georgia judge ruled in favor of the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch in a lawsuit concerning her office’s communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee. The ruling, handed down by Judge Robert McBurney of the Fulton County Superior Court, demands that Willis comply with state open records laws and provide the requested documents within five business days.
Judicial Watch initially filed the lawsuit in March 2024, accusing Willis of violating the Georgia Open Records Act. The group sought records related to Willis’s communications with federal entities involved in January 6 investigations. Willis’s office previously claimed that no such records existed, prompting Judicial Watch to pursue legal action to expose what it views as potential collaboration in politically motivated cases.
Willis’s office missed key deadlines to respond, leading Judicial Watch to request a default judgment in April. Despite being served on March 11, Willis’s team failed to file a response within the required 30-day period. In her defense, Willis cited confusion over court docketing as the reason for the delay. Judge McBurney, however, dismissed her explanation and ruled, “Defendant is in default and has been since April 11, 2024.” This effectively upheld Judicial Watch’s allegations and mandated that Willis produce the records.
Central to the lawsuit is a December 2021 letter Willis sent to then-House January 6 Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, in which she expressed her willingness to assist the committee and even travel to Washington, D.C., if necessary. Judicial Watch argues this letter contradicts Willis’s earlier denial of communications with federal entities. The watchdog group believes Willis’s cooperation with federal prosecutors and Congress represents an attempt to target President-elect Trump and his allies for political reasons.
Breaking News.🚨
Fulton County Superior Court has issued a default judgment against District Attorney Fani Willis for refusing to turn over records that could document her collusion with the J6 committee and Special Counsel Jack Smith.
The court order states: "By finding the… pic.twitter.com/pipBiByFyW
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) December 10, 2024
Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch, celebrated the court’s decision, stating, “Judicial Watch and a state court forced Fani Willis to confirm additional documents exist about her collusion with the partisan Pelosi January 6 Committee to ‘get Trump.’” Fitton vowed to continue fighting any attempts by Willis to withhold documents under claims of legal exemptions.
This ruling comes amid broader scrutiny of Willis’s role in the high-profile prosecution of Trump related to Georgia’s 2020 election. Judicial Watch has also pursued legal challenges regarding Willis’s hiring of special prosecutor Nathan Wade, raising further concerns about her conduct and impartiality.
Willis’s legal woes and the default judgment highlight growing skepticism about the legitimacy of her efforts, and critics argue this case exposes a deeper partisan agenda. As the investigation unfolds, the public awaits the release of the documents that could reveal just how far the cooperation with federal entities went.
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