ATLANTA — Georgia Senate Republicans filed a complaint against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, alleging she "improperly cherry-picked cases" to further her political interests roughly two months after the indictment of former President Donald Trump and 18 others for criminally interfering in the 2020 election.
The complaint, reviewed by 11Alive, asks the newly formed Prosecuting Attorneys Qualification Commission to "conduct an immediate and thorough investigation" into certain allegations.
Eight Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch and Sen. Clint Dixon, submitted the document hours after the law forming the new commission took effect on Oct. 1.
Dixon told 11Alive that the complaint was sent to four members of the commission. Once the commission establishes its official filing procedures, the complaint will be resubmitted, he said.
"District Attorney Willis has prioritized cases that align with her political party's interests rather than focusing on the merits of each individual case. This selective prosecution raises concerns about fairness, impartiality, and the abuse of prosecutorial discretion," a portion of the complaint reads.
The senators make no mention of the former president by name. However, they criticize Willis' office for dedicating the "resources to empanel a special purpose grand jury to investigate her political adversaries" amidst a backlog of cases and a series of deaths at the Fulton County jail.
Others who joined Gooch and Dixon in the complaint include Sens. Jason Anavitarte, Bo Hachett, Sam Watson, Russ Goodman, Shelly Echols, and Chuck Payne.
"She's not doing her job," Dixon told 11Alive Monday. "She's just going after this political witch hunt to publicize and grow her leftist celebrity in my opinion."
A spokesperson for Willis declined to comment on the complaint.
Gov. Brian Kemp, who signed the bill forming the commission earlier this year, previously said he's seen no evidence indicating Willis needed to be sanctioned over the Trump case.
"We have a law in the state of Georgia that clearly outlines the legal steps that can be taken if constituents believe their local prosecutors are violating their oath by engaging in unethical or illegal behavior," Kemp previously said. "Up to this point, I have not seen any evidence that DA Willis' actions or lack thereof warrant action by the Prosecuting Attorney Oversight Commission. But, that will ultimately be a decision the commission will make."
The complaint comes as Senate Republicans announced a probe into conditions at the jail last week — roughly three months after the U.S. Justice Department launched its own investigation. Six inmates have died at the jail since July, the Associated Press reports.
The eight-member Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission has the authority to investigate alleged misconduct by attorneys general and solicitor generals across Georgia.
The panel can discipline or remove prosecutors for several causes spelled out in the state law, including "conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice which brings the office into disrepute."
A Fulton County Superior Court judge allowed the law to take effect after denying an injunction sought by four prosecutors who opposed the measure. Their lawsuit is still ongoing.
Willis was not a part of the lawsuit, but she spoke out against the legislation.
DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston, a Democrat and one of the prosecutors who sought to block the law, previously defended Willis during an interview with 11Alive.
"Fani Willis is doing the job that she was elected to do by the citizens of Fulton County, which is to prosecute all crimes that happen in her community, regardless of who commits those crimes," Boston previously said. "To drag D.A.s in front of a commission around decisions that they have been given the constitutional right to make — we are embarking on a very dangerous journey."
Former Republican Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter told 11Alive the complaint would likely fail for several reasons and alleged the senators' complaint is politically motivated.
The commission is still weighing rules and regulations that must be approved by the Georgia Supreme Court before it can take any action, Porter said.
"How can you say Fani Willis broke the rules when, right now, no rules have been established for the board to act on," he said.