ATLANTA — There’s another setback for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ prosecution of President Donald Trump and others.
A judge ruled her office intentionally withheld documents from one of the attorneys.
Channel 2 Action News was inside Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause’s courtroom the day she heard defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant’s lawsuit against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office.
Merchant filed open records requests demanding information surrounding former special prosecutor Nathan Wade and insisted the DA’s office refused to comply.
During that hearing, Krause seemed to not understand the office’s legal argument why.
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“The DA is not the subject of the Open Records Act? I keep falling back then, why do you have an open records custodian who is providing open records?” Krause asked.
On Friday, Krause issued a ruling agreeing with Merchant, saying the DA’s office was “openly hostile to Ms. Merchant,” and added its “failures were intentional, (and) not done in good faith.”
Krause also awarded Merchant $54,000 in attorney’s fees for her work on the case.
Merchant represents Michael Roman, one of the defendants indicted alongside Trump.
Willis' office had no comment but said it is appealing Krause’s ruling.
It’s also appealing the Georgia Court of Appeals decision to remove her office from prosecuting the case at all.
Willis’ office did attempt to have Krause recused from the case months ago.
But on social media, Merchant said this about Krause and her ruling: “Proud we have judges willing to hold people accountable when they ignore the law.”
There is no word on when that appeal could be heard.
Meanwhile, Willis’ office has 30 days to comply with the ruling.
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