Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is a Democrat, according to Ballotpedia.
Her politics are under scrutiny now that she is expected to announce indictments against former President Trump and other Republicans.
On her Facebook page, Willis has praised former President Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris and quoted former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Willis is the daughter of John Clifford Willis, a criminal defense attorney who was a member of the Black Panther Movement, according to South Atlanta Magazine.
According to CNN, Willis defeated a six-term incumbent, her former boss, in the Democratic primary in 2021 to become the Fulton County DA.
“What I could envision is that we actually live in a society where Lady Justice is blind, and that it doesn’t matter if you’re rich poor, Black, White, Democrat or Republican. If you violated the law, you’re going to be charged,” she told CNN.
Trump has accused her of partisan bias, according to CNN.
Here’s what you need to know:
A Judge Said ‘the Optics Are Horrific’ After Fani Willis Hosted a Fundraiser for the Democratic Opponent of a Man She Was Investigating
According to CNN, Willis in summer of 2022 “hosted a fundraiser for the Democratic opponent of one of the people she was investigating, Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican.”
“It’s a ‘What are you thinking?’ moment,” Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney said, according to CNN. “The optics are horrific.”
“Using the title of your office and having on social media that you, as this political office holder, are holding a fundraiser for the opponent of someone that this political office is investigating, I don’t know that it’s an actual conflict, but I use that phrase: ‘What were you thinking?’” the judge said.
CNN reported that Jones was one of the “fake electors in Georgia” and he “successfully sought a court order blocking Willis from further investigating him.” According to CNN, Willis denied any wrongdoing.
CNN reported that Jones, a Republican, was running for Georgia lieutenant governor against Charlie Bailey, a Democrat. “Willis hosted a campaign fundraiser for Bailey last month and donated to his primary campaign,” CNN reported.
Fani Willis Called President Obama a ‘Brilliant Leader’ in a Facebook Post
Facebook (Fani Willis)
On Facebook, in 2021, Willis shared a post by former President Obama, written about the trial of a police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd, and commented, “A profound statement from a brilliant leader! #MrPresident.” Obama’s post read in part,
Today, a jury in Minneapolis did the right thing.
For almost a year, George Floyd’s death under the knee of a police officer has reverberated around the world — inspiring murals and marches, sparking conversations in living rooms and new legislation. But a more basic question has always remained: would justice be done?
In this case, at least, we have our answer. But if we’re being honest with ourselves, we know that true justice is about much more than a single verdict in a single trial.
In 2020, she wrote on Facebook, “I was thrilled to team up with Shaq and the Democratic Party of Georgia to encourage all Georgia Democrats to get out and vote in the January 5th runoffs!”
Facebook (Fani Willis)
Facebook (Fani Willis)
Facebook (Fani Willis)
On November 7, 2020, she wrote of Vice President Kamala Harris: “The Vice President of the United States of America is an African American Woman and a Howard University Bison! #Tears #Proud.”
On November 4, 2020, she wrote, “Georgia could determine who is our next president. A TEAM of lawyers needs to watch them count every single VOTE. They can start in Fulton where we are having water leaks. What ballots are they throwing out? Georgia lets give an honest accounting. No stunts!”
In 2021, she wrote on Facebook, “Just a reminder that we all stand on shoulders. Thanking God for a child named Ruby Bridges and Madam Vice President Harris! #Herstory #MadamDA #FirstwomanDA #FaniforFulton #integritymatters #FCDA.”
Fani Willis Worked in Private Practice & for the District Attorney’s Office Before Becoming Chief Prosecutor
GettyFani Willis
According to her LinkedIn page, Willis has been Fulton County DA since January 2021 in Atlanta Georgia.
In 2018, she was managing attorney of her own law firm in Georgia. In 2019, she served as a chief magistrate judge for the City of South Fulton.
She worked as a deputy district attorney and chief senior assistant district attorney and executive assistant district attorney for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.
Willis was an assistant solicitor for the City of Atlanta, and she practiced in family law and as a contract attorney.
She graduated from Emory Law School in 1996, from Howard University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and government and from Regina High School.
According to ABC News, “Some of Willis’ initiatives, including a pretrial diversion program that allows some individuals to enter into community service or restitution rather than be charged, have been described as progressive.”
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