Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has been under scrutiny for her handling of the prosecution of former President Donald Trump, doesn’t want to answer questions.
Willis reportedly skipped a Democratic Party debate over the weekend, leaving her opponent to debate an empty podium in front of voters.
Instead, she attended a “self-care fair” with Atlanta City Councilwoman Andrea Boone in honor of Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Willis’ opponent, Christian Wise Smith, took the stage alone and criticized the district attorney for her unprofessional conduct in hiring former sexual partner Nathan Wade as the special prosecutor on the Trump case earlier this year — paid for by Georgia taxpayers.
“That issue is important to us in Fulton County and a lot of people across the country,” Smith said while standing solo on the debate stage.
He added, “When you pay one attorney nearly $1 million to handle one case, that leaves the rest of us vulnerable. That hurts everyone in Fulton County.”
Despite Willis’ absence from the debate and the controversy surrounding her, a Fox 5 Atlanta poll shows her leading the race by a substantial 70 points
The primary election for Democratic voters is scheduled for May 21, with the winner set to face off against a Republican candidate in November.
According to a recent report byThe New York Post, Willis hired Atlanta-based private attorney Nathan Wade as a special prosecutor in the case against former President Donald Trump and 18 of his associates over their alleged actions following the 2020 election.
The two had previously engaged in a sexual relationship, which was undisclosed at the time of Wade’s hiring.
Wade’s contract began on Nov. 1, 2021, and he filed for divorce from his wife of 26 years, Joycelyn Wade, the following day.
The controversy surrounding Willis’ personal and professional decisions has raised questions about her ability to lead the high-profile case against Trump and his associates effectively.
Critics have repeatedly accused Willis of political bias in her prosecution of Trump. The 2024 Republican presidential candidate has complained that his numerous criminal cases, overseen in Democratic Party strongholds, are “lawfare” and “election interference.”
As the primary election approaches, voters will have to weigh the importance of these issues against Willis’ apparent lead in the polls.
Fani Willis’ DA opponent debates vacant podium after she skips event https://t.co/zi1PX7AR5e pic.twitter.com/ZNeGLG8dpS
— New York Post (@nypost) April 29, 2024