ATLANTA — A federal house committee is launching a probe into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' handling of the indictment of former U.S. President Donald Trump and 18 other co-defendants. It is also demanding she turn over information on the investigation.
It’s all quiet Friday at the Fulton County Jail one day after Trump turned himself in, but now the tables are turned with the federal government looking into the district attorney.
“There would be a question about what type of oversight Congress would have necessarily over a state investigation here," 11Alive political analyst Dr. Andra Gillespie said.
U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan sent Willis a letter asking how she got information during her investigation into alleged interference in the 2020 Georgia elections.
“It's not surprising that Jim Jordan would issue this type of letter," Gillespie said "He's a well-known ally of President Trump.”
Jordan also asked Willis in the letter if she contacted the U.S. Department of Justice or White House officials during the investigation or used any federal money for it.
“I think it's actually pretty telling that Congressman Jordan in this letter is asking specifically for ways that the Fulton County DA may have been in contact with federal authorities because that might be the door that actually allows for an investigation," Gillespie said.
Gillespie said the big question here is if Willis cooperates with the committee.
“We could be talking about the idea that Fani Willis gets some type of reprimand, that she would be held in contempt of Congress, for instance, for not showing up when asked to appear," Gillespie said.
The committee also wants to know if Willis coordinated with Special Counsel Jack Smith, who also brought charges against the former president.