Staff Reports
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis recently learned the hard way that playing fast and loose with public records can come at a hefty price. A Georgia court has ordered her to cough up over $54,000 in attorney fees and expenses after ruling her office violated the state’s Open Records Act in a case connected to none other than President Donald Trump. Who knew transparency would be such an expensive lesson?
This not-so-surprising ruling came down on a Friday, a classic tactic to minimize headlines, but it didn’t escape notice. The court found that Willis and her team failed to comply with legal requests for documents within the required timeframe. Instead of acting in good faith, her office reportedly threw up roadblocks, leaving the judge to label their behavior as “openly hostile.” Apparently, a lack of cooperation is the new normal in Fulton County when it comes to anything involving Trump.
The dispute stemmed from a good ol’ fashioned bad paperwork experience initiated by Ashleigh Merchant, an attorney representing Michael Roman, one of Trump’s co-defendants in the so-called election interference case. Merchant had the audacity to request pertinent public records, but apparently, the DA’s office decided to play hard to get. Their failure to provide the documents led to not just embarrassment but also legal repercussions, confirming the court’s belief that Willis’s claims of being too busy didn’t hold water.
JUST IN: Fani Willis Ordered To Pay $54K For Violating Law In Trump Case https://t.co/pwYkS5J4n6
— Brett Murphy (@brettmurphyx) March 17, 2025
Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause sternly reminded Willis and her crew that they are, in fact, bound by the Open Records Act. The court reaffirmed that Willis is the custodian of public records, yet her office didn’t even bother to assert that any of the requested documents were exempt from disclosure. Instead, they simply ignored the initial request. In Georgia, that adds up to violating the state law requiring a response within three business days. Yes, folks, that’s how standards work.
The judge didn’t stop at a reprimand; she also instructed Willis’s office to produce specific public records within 30 days—including various NDAs and a list of attorneys tied to Trump-related cases. The warning was clear: fail to comply, and the repercussions could get worse. The court’s continued supervision means this saga is far from over, and it’s hard to see how Willis can dodge further legal consequences if her office insists on dragging its feet.
While it might be tempting to chuckle at this level of incompetence by a public official, it raises serious concerns about accountability and transparency in government. With the bill now due, one has to wonder if Willis will change her approach to public records, or if she’ll simply add “paying fines” to her list of day-to-day expenses.
