Fulton DA Fani Willis agrees to testify before Georgia Senate panel

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has agreed to testify before a special Georgia Senate committee investigating her handling of the election interference case against President Donald Trump.

What we know:

Committee leaders said Willis will appear at the State Capitol on Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. after months of legal wrangling between her office and the panel over a subpoena. The committee, formed in 2024, has been reviewing allegations tied to Willis’ prosecution of Trump and co-defendants accused of trying to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.

The committee is chaired by Republican Sen. Bill Cowsert, who is running for state attorney general. Sen. Greg Dolezal, who is also a Republican and the committee's vice chair, announced earlier this week that he is running for lieutenant governor. 

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What they're saying:

State Senator Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, says willis’ testimony is needed to better understand the process, "We need her input. We need her to tell us what does she think is appropriate behavior by prosecutors so we can build it into the law."

Cowsert, who chairs the Senate committee investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' alleged misconduct in connection with Georgia elections interference case.

Cowsert says, "She has agreed to testify in front of our committee to honor our subpoena, and she wants to limit the scope of the questions. I'm negotiating that with her attorney now."

Cowsert adds, "I keep repeating, we're not on some witch hunt against Fani Willis here. You know, that's been left up to the judicial system. And essentially, the courts have removed her from the prosecution for a variety of reasons."

State Rep. Harold Jones II, D-Augusta, says, "I think that is a good thing.  I think she has been the center of attention so much It will be good for her to come give her side of it so to speak."

Dig deeper:

The Fulton County case, brought by District Attorney Fani Willis, alleges that President Trump and 18 of his allies conspired to overturn Georgia’s certified 2020 election results through a coordinated "criminal enterprise." 

Accusations in the indictment include attempting to influence state officials, coordinating false elector schemes, pressuring state voting systems in Coffee County, and spreading fraudulent claims of election fraud. 

The prosecution has faced legal challenges, most notably Willis being disqualified from continuing as lead prosecutor due to concerns of "appearance of impropriety" stemming from a personal relationship with her former special prosecutor, Nathan Wade.

Timeline: Fulton County DA Fani Willis, Nathan Wade controversy

Some charges against Trump and other defendants have been dismissed by a judge for lacking specificity. 

With Willis removed, the future of the case is unknown. It could be reassigned by the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia. However, most experts believe that is unlikely given the fact that Trump was re-elected in 2024 despite the charges and other legal problems. 

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice has issued a subpoena for Willis' travel records around the time of the 2024 election.

RELATED: DOJ subpoenas Fulton County DA Fani Willis' travel records, NYT reports

What's next:

While the committee cannot remove Willis from office, it may issue recommendations on laws and ethical standards for district attorneys in Georgia.