The Republican Georgia legislature is pushing through two new proposals that would create a new state oversight board for prosecutors. The newly established committee could punish or remove prosecutors for loosely defined reasons, including “willful misconduct.”
In addition, a third proposal would significantly reduce the number of registered voter signatures it would take to seek a recall of a district attorney.
Fani Willis, the Atlanta district attorney, believes the proposals are racist and a possible retaliatory measure for her investigation of Trump. In 2020, Georgia had five minority prosecutors. Today there are a record number of 14, and Willis has pointed out that a majority of Georgians now live within the jurisdictions of the 14 minority prosecutors.
- Senator Bill Cowsert, a Republican who is the brother-in-law of Gov. Brian Kemp, said, “For you to come in here and try to make this about racism, that this bill is directed at any district attorney or solicitor because of racism, is absurd, and it’s offensive, and it’s a racist statement on its own.”
- Senator Brian Strickland (R) told Ms. Willis, “You’re being emotional.”
The sponsors of the bills say it’s a way to ensure prosecutors enforce the state’s laws whether they agree with them or not. Republicans are looking to rein in prosecutors they see as too liberal, and who in some cases are refusing to prosecute low-level drug crimes or enforce strict new anti-abortion laws.
But the push for oversight obviously comes as Willis is building a case against Trump.
Willis has said she is considering building a racketeering or conspiracy case.
A special grand jury recommended indictments, and the foreperson of that jury said publicly that the jury’s report recommended more than a dozen.
Willis is now considering whether to bring a case to a regular grand jury, which can issue indictments, and a decision could come as early as May.
The Georgia House passed a bill last night, and the Senate passed a similar one last week. If the proposals are successful, a committee could be in place by early next year. If Trump were indicted, his case would not likely be resolved by then.
