You remember Fani (pronounced "Fanny") Willis. She is the Fulton County District Attorney who violated the state's open record laws in the prosecution of U.S. President Donald Trump. Now she has been ordered to pay $54,264 for violating those laws.
The money Willis was ordered to pay is for attorney's fees and litigation costs after she "intentionally" failed to provide records requested by attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who filed a motion to disqualify Willis from prosecuting Trump on charges that he allegedly interfered with the 2020 presidential election.
The county’s Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause formalized her ruling Friday, stating that Willis’ office failed to provide documents related to the employment of Nathan Wade, the former special assistant district attorney forced to resign from the Trump case due to his romantic relationship with Willis.
Merchant believed that Willis and Wade may have financially benefited from Wade’s appointment as the special prosecutor in the case as they went on lavish vacations together and bought expensive items that pointed to Willis' sneaky miscreant behavior.
"Defendants — through the Open Records custodian, Dexter Bond — were openly hostile to counsel for Plaintiff, Ms. Merchant, and testified that Ms. Merchant's requests were handled differently than other requests," the court order said, as reported by Fox News Digital.
Bond, who testified that his usual practice was to call a requestor to receive additional information to fulfill requests, indicated that he refused to communicate with Merchant by telephone, according to the order.
"Defendants — through the Open Records custodian, Dexter Bond — were openly hostile to counsel for Plaintiff, Ms. Merchant, and testified that Ms. Merchant's requests were handled differently than other requests," the court order said, as reported by Fox News Digital.
Bond, who testified that his usual practice was to call a requestor to receive additional information to fulfill requests, indicated that he refused to communicate with Merchant by telephone, according to the order.
Highly suspicious.
"While there is no requirement under the ORA for Mr. Bond to call any requestor about a particular request, Mr. Bond's handling of Ms. Merchant's requests in this manner indicates a lack of good faith," the order said. "Defendants’ failures were intentional, not done in good faith, and were substantially groundless and vexatious."
Dexter then went on to become a serial killer--just kidding.
Ms. Merchant, who reacted to the ruling in a post on X Friday, said she was "proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!!"
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The DA’s office has 30 days from the court’s order to pay the penalty. The plaintiff also received injunctive relief directing Willis to finally provide the requested documents.
"While there is no requirement under the ORA for Mr. Bond to call any requestor about a particular request, Mr. Bond's handling of Ms. Merchant's requests in this manner indicates a lack of good faith," the order said. "Defendants’ failures were intentional, not done in good faith, and were substantially groundless and vexatious."
Dexter then went on to become a serial killer--just kidding.
Ms. Merchant, who reacted to the ruling in a post on X Friday, said she was "proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!!"
If you would like to support my work, you can Buy Me A Coffee or subscribe. Thank you.
The DA’s office has 30 days from the court’s order to pay the penalty. The plaintiff also received injunctive relief directing Willis to finally provide the requested documents.
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