Fani Willis hearing live stream | Georgia Senate special committee investigation

A third Georgia Senate hearing takes place on Friday for a special committee's investigation of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
It begins at 10 a.m. ET.
The hearing is related to accusations of potential conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds. This meeting is to inform the committee to "enact new or amend existing laws and/or change state appropriations to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system."
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[@Rhonda2580]

What amazes me is that the district attorney has to put together a budget request, which is detailed by line item category, and her requested budget is approved on that basis. But, once she has the money, they are saying she can spend it any way that she chooses. There is no accountability like “we approved X dollars for this line item category, so that’s all you can spend in that line item” or “well, you didn’t include a budget for ‘special prosecutors’, so you can’t hire any”. And, I rather feel badly for this gentleman that heads up the commission. He has spent his whole life in civil service, just doing his job and pushing papers through the system. And the system probably mostly worked just fine. But, then, he encountered Fani Willis, and she knew how to manipulate the system, and take advantage of the fact that there were limited safeguards in certain areas. What a terrible person she must be.

[@agphelan]

It sounds like the chairman is afraid to testify for fear of retribution for Willis. When Wade was originally hired his contract was a $15000 cap a month. Two months later into their relationship his contract was renegotiated to a $35000 cap a month. His billings seemed to always find the hours to equal his monthly cap. He also didn't itemize his hours he billed by block hours with no description of what he did for all of those hours. Mr Wade also needs to be investigated for all the monies he was paid for the way he billed his hours.

[@Rhonda2580]

Yes, I was also suspicious of how his billings just seemed to always get right up to the monthly cap. And the billings should have been itemized with descriptions, like normal attorney billing is done. I’m sure he doesn’t bill his private clients in the same manner as he did the county.

[@Rhonda2580]

And, you might be right about the Chairman being worried about Willis. When asked if Ms. Willis ever reported to the Committee what she had spent the budget money on, he says “no”, but then he adds “but we never asked her to either”.

[@Indian_Kamala]

Very sketchy billing for the guy she happens to be sleeping with. And he was paid more hourly and around 8x more overall than Georgia's top Rico prosecutor

[@Rhonda2580]

@@Indian_Kamala And I believe that Fani was the one that approved his bills.

[@JohnDoe-do5me]

It sure seen like the whole group need to be removed and the GSBI need to step up and do it “F” job. As a tax payer we need to all stop paying until we get answers she get 75 million with NO accountability? That sounds like BULL to me. I have to account for what I spend or those federal government would lock me up

[@Glenna10]

I think there has been a lot more spending going on than just the vacations with champagne and caviar.

[@kelleypupello8821]

People these are the people running our city. I think we need to have bookkeeping records and review. BIG L

[@Indian_Kamala]

Put down $650k for her boyfriend

[@pamtodd9053]

Unbelievable, am I understanding correctly that the Prosecutors office has been given millions and millions with no questions asked 😮 So, since they don’t have rules, no violations….. no words

[@davidl2469]

But it’s always no violations if the crime is committed by DemocRATs

[@Rhonda2580]

It is crazy to think that the county ethics rules pertaining to gifts wouldn’t have applied to the district attorney, just because the DA is a constitutional officer. But, as I recall, Fani Willis DID submit a least one financial disclosure document (whether or not she was required to do so) which indicated that she had NOT received any gifts in excess of $100.00 during the time when she did receive gifts (trips, etc.) from Mr. Wade. So, regardless of whether they thought that the reporting requirement applied to Ms. Willis, she still submitted a report that was untrue.

[@JohnDoe-do5me]

I think we will see that is not true she is required to do it because she received federal tax dollars and the federal do require her to do it.

[@user-mb6qi3fn5l]

Just ask & you shall receive

[@lorisilverstein3010]

Whenever you are dealing with MILLIONS of dollars within any budget, there should be clear and concise transparency and reporting of all spending. Especially when you are dealing with tax payer monies. So, OK, since the county has just recently expanded upon policies, Fani will not see local charges.

[@pamtodd9053]

Exactly, that’s just crazy

[@JacquelineMitchell-zf9le]

Wow! This is getting real serious! Someone is going to jail.

[@JennS904]

What I am understanding is that Fanni Willis claim “nobody is above the law..” means liar liar fanni on fire. She held herself above the law.

[@williamdickson8395]

How do we bring back Milton County!

[@ryeckley7267]

Letitia James your next.

[@nickigross9537]

I can’t wait either. I will be front row.

[@grantsutherland6798]

The chairman has misread that statute reading 101. He's missed an important "OR" giving a. Option for the DA it's not mandatory to go before the Board it's only an option

[@sjoyceboyer4719]

Make sure that Nepatism clause applied is across the board ........

[@Southern-Sleuth]

DA can disregard the line items after County Commissioners approve their budget request. Fani can spend the 36 million budget however she wants. This is unbelievable!! Why is there no oversight??!! This is why our government is out of control from the city, county, state to federal levels! The government waists and misuses the tax payers money. I can't believe there is no accountability with this huge amount of money.

[@lbthingsstuffmore9513]

It sounds like Fani Willis was within the law. I think the laws should apply to all elected officials, including State and Federal Congress! We'll see if those in the GA Congress can pass laws against themselves. 🙄

[@johngarcia8827]

Wow This isnt a clown show. Fanni must be confused

[@OSUBucknado]

"The Corporation of Fulton County" is represented by the County Attorney

[@unkljj]

The Lush Grey Goose Flasher!

[@user-mb6qi3fn5l]

Bullied? They aren’t getting by with anything

[@kathysamuels1465]

Pink tie nightmare

[@TatiaunaGorbachev]

I don’t know where you see pink ties? Or maybe I haven’t gotten that far yet.

[@Everythingwoketurnstoshit]

Same dude that tried discrediting merchant’s testimony in the first hearing. Another rubberstamping democRAT.

[@johnnannery6851]

Company is at the highest level in just simply amazing. Don’t know don’t ask. It’s just spend $75 million.

[@Leann68]

How did Fani Willis win again? What’s wrong with people who elected her.

[@shewillloveGod]

Awesome...Fannie is a real pip.What kind kf fool did she thknk this Committee a d especially Ashley who clearly would be a great part of B President Trump's team

[@grantsutherland6798]

Ridiculous Chairman comments. He has misread totally the "OR" part of the statute quoted. It gives a DA options as to how they get approval it does not make it mandatory to get County permission and authority. Time this case went to trial. Enough horseshit delay tactics

[@patriciaprice9533]

Willis has said several times, she can’t be brought to trial etc. Perfect example of a narcissist. She thinks she’s above the law and can do whatever she.likes. Even when she knows she’s wrong, she will never admit it. And in her mind she is never wrong and she believes it. Exaggerated sense of self.

[@zetrei80]

She is trying to incarcerate a former president, that in it self is proof of her grandiose self-image.

[@sjoyceboyer4719]

Trying to rake DA Willis are you, hmmmmm. Did you rake the Secretary of the State who held two government positions Kemp over the coals? Hmmmmmmmm?

[@Jazzzy2008]

So basically, Fanny has cart blanched 😂 to hire fire and spend Fulton county tax payers money 💰 any way she want by just making up a project and then repurpose said funds to her coffers 😮😮

[@kathysamuels1465]

This chairman does nothing he listened to all the testimonial from the blonde lady lawyer and he said not enough evidence..tocm soft

[@OSUBucknado]

He's just along for the ride. Every now and then he glances at the driver but mostly daydreaming looking out the window

[@Rhonda2580]

@@OSUBucknadoAbsolutely the best analogy - well done!

[@djladyfantasy]

He think he slick is that Brad

[@lisajune9839]

Oh, Fani this must be a Trump thread I hear the banjos in the background. Keep strong my friend.

[@MrDuane-lr8dm]

This guy is asking blatantly misleading and dishonest questions. "Do you worry she was wasting resources prosecuting this 1 case, when we have a backlog of 40 - 50 thousand?" If she prosecuted any other case, besides this one, you could ask the exact same question about that other case, with this case as one of the backlog cases. And I'm betting none of those in the backlog are of national significance.

[@boudecia22]

To help you put this into perspective. Imagine your brother was kept in jail WITHOUT trial for 2 tears. And was virtually eaten alive by bed bugs, and you found out a week after his death. Now, there's this case of national significance versus dead ppl How many corpses do you consider to he a price worth paying for this case of national significance? 2? 10? 50? How many dead brothers, sons, fathers, would you consider a price worth paying?

[@MrDuane-lr8dm]

@@boudecia22 That backlog of 40 - 50k isn't all un-prosecuted murders. Also, judges determine when something will go to trial. Prosecutors and defense lawyers can't stall for long without pissing off the judge. But that wasn't even the point I was making. I'm pretty sure Willis crossed into a gray area at best. And making the lines more clear is important. But, my issue was with how he was wording his questions. He was supplying answers in the form of questions, not searching for answers through his questions. The witnesses were there to paint "his" picture, not to paint an accurate one.

[@Rhonda2580]

I don’t agree with that at all. A backlog of criminal cases has real impact in the lives of individual citizens of that county - citizens that pay their taxes and have the right to expect the justice system to function efficiently and fairly. To spend ridiculous amounts of time and money on the prosecution of a case that makes no difference whatsoever in the lives of the citizens of that county, just because the DA wants national notoriety, is irresponsible and reckless.

[@Rhonda2580]

@@MrDuane-lr8dmThe phrasing of his questions was entirely fair. There is no issue with not “leading the witness” during a senate hearing (it’s not a civil or criminal court case). The person being questioned is free to agree or disagree with any assumptions made in the question, which the Commissioner did on several occasions. And, considering what happened here, it would only be natural to express disbelief when asking about these procedures. I actually found it quite surprising myself that the DA’s budget was so dramatically increased without anyone in the Commission saying that they wanted to keep a closer eye on how those funds were being spent. At least to be informed, even if they thought they didn’t have the right to control it. After all, the Commission was authorizing substantial taxpayer dollars to be spent from the general fund (which made it unavailable for other things, like building a new jail, which it sounds is really needed), and should have recognized that they were the guards against the waste of taxpayer funds.

[@MrDuane-lr8dm]

@@Rhonda2580 I'm not saying you're wrong or that I agree or disagree. My issue is with what he did. He was asking questions using a technique that leads to a manipulated answer. You see this technique often used by corporate sponsored surveys and publishers of pseudo-science. My issue was that he used this technique multiple times. It is misleading and dishonest, and as a result of these manipulative questions, the conclusions are unreliable.