Donald Trump attacked Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on social media amidst the news that Republican state senators are trying to pass a bill to oust Willis over her investigation into his alleged voter fraud.
The twice-impeached ex-president is currently being investigated over claims he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
The New York Times reported that the Georgia Senate voted 32-24 to pass a bill sponsored by Sen. Randy Robertson, Senate Bill 92. The bill would create an oversight committee with the power to remove elected district attorneys who have committed “willful misconduct” in office. The GOP is also trying to pass a bill filed by state Rep. Houston Gaines that would allow for the recall of a district attorney with only 2 percent of voter signatures required. The amount of signatures currently needed is 30 percent.
Willis is soon expected to announce whether she will indict Trump for voter fraud, and she called the GOP maneuver to pass the two bills prior to her announcement “racist.” She also noted that the majority of people in Georgia live within the jurisdictions of 14 minority prosecutors.
“For the hundreds of years we’ve had prosecutors, this has been unnecessary,” said Willis, whose district includes most of Georgia’s capital, Atlanta. “But now all of a sudden this is a priority. And it is racist.”
Trump was delighted by the vote and took the opportunity to attack Willis by calling her a “rogue” prosecutor on his social media platform, Truth Social. The 76-year-old also called Willis “racist” and “incompetent” in his rant, which also called Atlanta “one of the most dangerous and corrupt cities in the U.S.”
“The Racist District Attorney in Atlanta, Fani T. Willis, one of the most dangerous and corrupt cities in the U.S., is now calling the Georgia Legislature, of course, RACIST, because they want to make it easier to remove and replace local rogue prosecutors who are incompetent, racist, or unable to properly do their job,” wrote Trump. “This is a great development for Georgia, but also other parts of the Country. Congratulations to the Georgia Legislature for having the courage to act boldly, fairly, and fast!”
Republican Georgia Sen. Bill Cowsert also called out Willis following her comments about the bills.
“For you to come in here and try to make this about racism,” said Cowsert. “That this bill is directed at any district attorney or solicitor because of racism is absurd, and it’s offensive, and it’s a racist statement on its own.” Willis was also told by Republican Sen. Brian Strickland that she was “being emotional”
Willis began investigating Trump after a phone call was recorded of him telling the Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his attorney to find him more votes.
“So look. All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state,” said Trump in the weeks after the 2020 election. “So what are we going to do here, folks? I only need 11,000 votes. Fellas, I need 11,000 votes. Give me a break.”
Several people reacted to Trump’s attack on Willis on social media. One person responded on social media with, “Love how rich white guys call every adversary ‘racist.'”
Another person noted Trump’s instructions to the white supremacist group Proud Boys back in 2020 and replied, “Stand back and stand by.” Trump’s infamous quote made to the Proud Boys. This time around he’ll dispense with any nuance and make direct calls for violence if he’s indicted.”
Willis also told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the GOP bills were targeting her and others with similar ideologies.
“It’s targeting me, and maybe people with similar ideologies, and wanting to replace it for ideologies that don’t represent the majority of the state’s population,” said Willis. “It seems to me that what they’re really saying is that there should be local control until we don’t like who the locals choose.”
