Prosecutor Fani Willis faces preliminary examination amid disqualification battle in Trump case

CNN
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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is already facing a legal battle to stop her from prosecuting former President Donald Trump and more than a dozen Georgia allies in an election-subversion case. There is.

Now she faces at least two new hurdles. Democrat Christian Wise Smith, a former Fulton prosecutor and Atlanta lawyer, launched his primary campaign against Willis on Friday. Shortly after Smith’s announcement, Courtney Cramer, a Republican lawyer who worked in the White House Counsel’s Office under Trump, also joined the race.

Willis and Smith will face off in the Democratic primary on May 21st. Mr. Kramer is expected to advance to the general election on November 5th as the Republican candidate. Fulton County, a longtime Democratic stronghold and home to the city of Atlanta, will pose a difficult challenge for Mr. Cramer, an ardent supporter of President Trump.

Willis began an investigation shortly after the 2020 election that ultimately led to conspiracy charges against Trump and others for allegedly trying to steal Georgia’s electoral votes from the rightful winner, Joe Biden. , emerged as a national figure. But in recent months, legal and political pressures against Willis have emerged after a lawyer for one of the defendants revealed that Willis had been romantically involved with Nathan Wade, a lawyer she hired to help advance the Trump case. surveillance is being strengthened.

The court hearing the disqualification case is expected to rule on Willis’ status within the next week.

Regardless of the outcome, Willis must first win the May 21 primary to continue campaigning to keep his seat in the fall.

Asked whether his decision to run had anything to do with Willis facing disqualification over the Trump extortion case, Wise-Smith told CNN: [about her current situation] Until I know more. After making that decision, we will then decide whether to proceed with this campaign with full force. Today was the last day of qualifying. Now we’re just dotting the “i’s” and crossing the “t’s.” ”

“I have run for this position before. I am very passionate about making sure the residents of Fulton County have confidence in their prosecutors,” he added.

Smith previously ran when Willis was elected district attorney in 2020, but lost to Willis and former district attorney Paul Howard in the primary, and later supported Willis in the runoff. did. Smith also lost the Democratic nomination for state attorney general in 2022.

A spokesperson for Willis did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

CNN has also reached out to Kramer for comment.

While those close to Willis privately acknowledge that her future in the Georgia overturn case is indeed in jeopardy, allies in the Fulton County Attorney’s Office have made various public statements in recent weeks. They are trying to rally around her by holding demonstrations of support.

Several prominent Georgia Democratic Party figures and local political figures were in court during the first two days of last month’s hearing, including when Willis took the stand to defend himself. It was

Democratic Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens sat near the front row, behind the prosecution team, during the second day of hearings. A spokesperson told CNN at the time that Dickens felt “compelled to go to court to show solidarity” after watching reports of Willis’ testimony the day before.

“We know who’s on trial, and it’s not her. It’s Donald Trump who tried to steal the election,” Dickens said at a press conference from City Hall the same day.

Asked if he thought he received support from Fulton County after Willis’ testimony, Dickens said, “Yes. And definitely the city of Atlanta.”

Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, the first woman to hold the position, and 2022 Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor Charlie Bailey also appeared in court.

AME Bishop Reginald Jackson, Willis’ spiritual advisor and leader of a historically black church in the Atlanta area, also spoke at last month’s hearing, as did Georgia NAACP President Gerald Griggs. appeared in court.

In a statement to CNN at the time, Griggs said, “I remain committed to protecting voting rights in Georgia and ensuring that the focus on this case remains to address the concerns raised by Georgia residents in the indictment.” Stated.

Willis was elected in 2020 on the promise of reforming the public service. She inherited a backlog of more than 16,000 cases from the longtime incumbent district attorney due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Willis also accused Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug and his associates of corruption. In this case, Willis used extortion law as a tool to build a far-reaching conspiracy case, much like he is trying to do against Trump and his allies.

Correction: This article and headline have been updated to reflect that the party’s primary will be held on May 21st. Mr. Willis and Mr. Smith will be competing for the Democratic nomination.