Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been slapped with a $54,000 fine for violating Georgia’s Open Records Act in a case connected to President Trump, dealing another blow to her controversial prosecution efforts.
Key Takeaways
- Fani Willis must pay $54,000 in attorney fees for violating Georgia’s Open Records Act by failing to provide documents requested by defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant.
- The judge found Willis’ office displayed “open hostility” and a “lack of good faith” in handling records requests related to the Trump election case.
- Willis has 30 days to provide the previously withheld records and pay the substantial penalty.
- This ruling follows Willis’ earlier disqualification from prosecuting the case due to an “appearance of impropriety” related to her relationship with former special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
- The Georgia Senate has passed legislation allowing defendants to seek reimbursement of legal expenses if a district attorney is disqualified due to misconduct.
Court Orders Substantial Penalty Against Willis
A Georgia court has ordered Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to pay $54,000 in attorney fees after finding her office violated the state’s Open Records Act. The violation stemmed from Willis’ failure to provide documents requested by defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Michael Roman, a co-defendant in the Georgia election interference case involving President Trump. The court’s ruling represents a significant rebuke of Willis’ handling of public records requests related to the high-profile prosecution.
The judge’s order was particularly critical of the district attorney’s office, characterizing their approach to Merchant’s document requests as “openly hostile” and demonstrating a “lack of good faith.” This harsh assessment underscores the seriousness of the violation and suggests a pattern of obstruction rather than an isolated oversight. Willis now has 30 days to both provide the requested records and pay the substantial financial penalty imposed by the court.
Defense Attorney Claims Vindication
Merchant, who initially exposed Willis’ controversial relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, has been pursuing these records as part of her defense strategy for client Michael Roman. Roman was indicted alongside President Trump in the case brought by Willis in 2023, which remains unresolved. The defense attorney has accused Willis’ office of deliberately withholding key documents and misallocating public funds, allegations that gain credibility with this latest court ruling.
“Proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!” said Ashleigh Merchant.
In response to Merchant’s efforts, Willis’ office had taken an adversarial stance, accusing the Merchant Law Firm of attempting to “undermine” the prosecution. This contentious back-and-forth has characterized much of the legal wrangling in the case, with Willis consistently resisting defense attempts to access potentially relevant information. The court’s ruling represents a clear victory for Merchant in this ongoing struggle for transparency.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office must pay more than $54,000 in attorneys’ fees and turn over documents it withheld for months in violation of Georgia’s Open Records Act. #gapolhttps://t.co/BXSiiQvzxK
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) March 18, 2025
Latest Setback in Troubled Prosecution
This financial penalty marks the latest in a series of setbacks for Willis in her pursuit of the case against President Trump and his co-defendants. Earlier, Willis was disqualified from prosecuting the case due to an “appearance of impropriety” related to her personal relationship with Nathan Wade, whom she had appointed as a special prosecutor. This disqualification dealt a serious blow to the prosecution’s momentum and raised questions about Willis’ judgment.
“No Georgia court has ever disqualified a district attorney for the mere appearance of impropriety without the existence of an actual conflict of interest,” said Fani Willis.
Willis has appealed her disqualification, arguing that it was based solely on appearance without evidence of actual conflict or misconduct. Meanwhile, the Georgia Senate has passed legislation that would allow President Trump and his co-defendants to seek reimbursement for legal expenses if a district attorney is disqualified due to misconduct and the case is dismissed. This legislative action reflects growing concern about the handling of the case and suggests potential financial consequences beyond the current penalty.
