(New York) First woman to hold the post of prosecutor of the county of Fulton, whose capital is Atlanta, Fani Willis has already established a parallel between her career and that of Kamala Harris. But this formidable lawyer could soon outdo the vice-president of the United States. How ? By taking on Donald Trump in single combat.
Now 51, Fani Willis compared herself to Kamala Harris on August 11, 2020. That day, she was celebrating her landslide victory in the Democratic primary for the prosecutor’s office in Georgia’s most populous county. Her rival was a local legend, Paul Howard, her boss with dubious ethics, who had been in the saddle since 1997. Seventeen years earlier, she reminded members of her team, Joe Biden’s running mate had also ousted her superior to become San Francisco County District Attorney.
Another parallel raised by Fani Willis: like Kamala Harris, she attended “Black Harvard”, a nickname given to Howard University in Washington.
But the rest of his journey could catapult Fani Willis where no one has yet dared to go: before a judge and a jury, with Donald Trump in the dock, in a criminal case.
Two years ago on Friday, Fani Willis announced the opening of a criminal investigation into potential interference in the 2020 presidential election.
She was particularly interested in a phone call between Donald Trump and the Secretary of State of Georgia, Brad Raffensperger, which occurred on January 2, 2021, the day after he took office. The former president then asked the Republican official to “find” enough votes for him to overturn Joe Biden’s narrow victory in Georgia.
According to the new Fulton County prosecutor, that phone call may have violated Georgia law prohibiting “criminal solicitation to commit voter fraud.” Other potential violations of the law to be investigated include false statements, threats against election administrators, conspiracy and racketeering.
Where is this investigation today, carried out with the help of a special grand jury? On January 24, Fani Willis informed a judge that “decisions are imminent” regarding indictments in this case involving not only Donald Trump, but also several of his allies, including his former personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani and his former chief of staff. Mark Meadows.
“I think it’s a matter of days or weeks, not months,” predicts Anthony Kreis, a law professor at Georgia State University, referring to the announcement. of indictments.
One thing is certain, there will be enormous interest and pressure on Fani Willis, whether locally, nationally or internationally, if she files a complaint against Donald Trump.
Anthony Kreis, law professor at Georgia State University
Hence the need to get to know Fani Willis better, starting with another point in common with Kamala Harris: she was born in California, and more precisely in Inglewood, near Los Angeles, where her father, John Floyd , participated in the founding of the Black Panther Political Party, a less radical grouping than the Black Panther Party.
A single-parent John Floyd raised his daughter in Washington, where he served as a criminal lawyer. At 8 years old, Fani Willis was already helping her to classify her criminal files, as she likes to tell journalists.
In 2001, after studying law at Emory University in Atlanta and a brief experience in private practice, she began to make her mark with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, where she prosecuted murderers, rapists and perpetrators of domestic violence, among others. Her work has earned her comparisons to basketball star LeBron James and a pit bull.
PHOTO BEN GRAY, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Fani Willis speaks with a member of her team during proceedings to set up a special purpose grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, to review former President Donald Trump’s actions regarding possible interference in the 2020 presidential election, in Atlanta, in May 2022.
In 2014, she won her most high-profile and controversial case, winning 21 guilty pleas and 11 out of 12 guilty verdicts in a case involving mostly black Atlanta educators accused of rigging school results. primary and secondary school exams for bonuses and other rewards.
To win this lawsuit, she relied on the RICO law (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) from Georgia, normally used to fight against the Mafia and other criminal organizations. Some have found the use of this law accompanied by heavy penalties against educators to be excessive.
No regrets
But Fani Willis does not regret anything. And she invoked the RICO Act again in the highly publicized lawsuit that began in early January against rapper Young Thug and 13 associates. The latter are accused of having used the musical label YSL (Young Stoner Life Records) as a front for criminal activities – murders, drug trafficking, car thefts – worthy of the gangs to which the prosecutor has promised to fight without mercy. .
According to Anthony Kreis, the RICO Act should also be part of Fani Willis’ arsenal in a possible lawsuit against Donald Trump.
We can see how she could use this law against the ex-president and his allies. What’s more, the harsh penalties associated with the law could incentivize people to cooperate, to become prosecution witnesses in exchange for immunity or reduced charges.
Anthony Kreis, law professor at Georgia State University
Donald Trump has previously accused Fani Willis of leading a “witch hunt” and “trying to prosecute a very popular president” rather than tackling rising crime in Atlanta.
Anthony Kreis sounds another story.
“The strongest case for Donald Trump’s criminal indictment is in Georgia, because there is more evidence here than anywhere else. It’s not just a phone call. As to whether there’s a good chance of a conviction, I think we have to wait and see what the special grand jury found during their investigation. »
4
Number of criminal investigations against Donald Trump. To that of Fani Willis, we must add the two investigations carried out by the Ministry of Justice, one on the events surrounding the January 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol, the other on the classified documents seized in Mar-a -Lago, as well as that led by Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg on the payment of $130,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels to buy her silence before the 2016 presidential election.