In a bold move, Georgia’s Republican Governor Brian Kemp has breathed new life into a committee aimed at monitoring the actions of local prosecutors, including Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, potentially throwing a wrench into the Democrats’ case against former President Donald Trump.
Kemp, with a decisive stroke of his pen, enacted the activation of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission, originally established last year but hampered by the state Supreme Court’s refusal to endorse the creation of such a commission to oversee prosecutorial conduct, reports the AP. The new law eliminates the need for Supreme Court approval, equipping Georgia Republicans with a powerful tool against what they perceive as hyper-partisan prosecutorial endeavors spearheaded by Willis and others.
“This legislation will help us ensure rogue and incompetent prosecutors are held accountable if they refuse to uphold the law,” Kemp declared during a signing ceremony attended by esteemed figures including First Lady Marty Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, House Speaker Jon Burns, and Senate and House Republican leadership. “As we know all too well, crime has been on the rise across the country, and is especially prevalent in cities where prosecutors are giving criminals a free pass or failing to put them behind bars due to lack of professional conduct.”
However, the measure has sparked fury among some Democratic prosecutors who previously contested the law before it was shelved by the Supreme Court.
“The signing of Senate Bill 332 shows that Republicans care little about the State Constitution and will stop at nothing to steal power from Georgia voters. The bill fails to address the constitutional concerns raised by the legal community over the last year about the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission and even worse, removes the Supreme Court’s oversight of the body. Now this group of political appointees—chosen solely by Republicans—has unchecked power to remove prosecutors whose decisions they disagree with, no matter how well a district attorney or solicitor general represents the voters who elected them in the courtroom,” exclaimed DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston in a statement to Fox 5 Atlanta.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones lauded Governor Kemp’s action, emphasizing the need for oversight particularly in light of President Trump’s ongoing legal battles in the state.
“I am thankful to Governor Kemp for signing this vital piece of legislation into law. Now, the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission can begin its important work and rein in rogue District Attorneys that refuse to uphold the rule of law in our state. If District Attorneys want to continue down this reckless road and put the interests of criminals ahead of law-abiding citizens, they will be held accountable.”
DA Willis has come under intense scrutiny for her romantic involvement with Nathan Wade, a prosecutor she employed and paid approximately $700,000 to aid her investigation into President Trump and 18 co-defendants. The revelation of this relationship, brought to light by an attorney representing one of the co-defendants, has triggered a cascade of consequences for Willis, including a forthcoming decision by Judge Scott McAfee on whether she should be dismissed from the case. Now, with the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission in play, the process may accelerate even further.
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