At this point, it might be an understatement to refer to Fani Willis as the embattled district attorney of Fulton County, Ga. She’s had a harsh spotlight on her since she decided to take on Donald Trump and other co-defendants in her investigation, but the revelations of corruption and an inappropriate affair with one of the special counsels on the Trump case have dinged her reputation. After all, this was the woman who once campaigned as an anti-corruption prosecutor.
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Her troubles aren’t over by any means. A state legislator is suing Willis for her failure to tackle crime in the county. Rep. Mesha Mainor (R-56th District) announced her suit in a press release and Facebook post last week.
Last week, she announced a press conference, which took place on Tuesday, to discuss the suit in the Facebook post:
If you have a loved one or know someone in the #FultonCountyJail for more than 45 days without DA #FANIWILLIS prosecuting their case, meet me at the State Capitol next Tuesday, April 30 at 10am to show the State of Georgia that her work serving Fulton County is negligent.
I will be discussing the lawsuit I filed against her for not only failing to investigate crimes, but also her neglect on crimes against women (including my own case). I will also discuss the Ga Prosecutor Oversight Bill and how citizens can access their rights.
Mainor is also suing Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington, the Fulton County Ethics Board, and Fulton County itself. The case involves a campaign volunteer whom Mainor dismissed in 2019 due to disruptive behavior. Mainor claims that the volunteer, Corwin Monson, stalked her after she let him go from the campaign, and she pressed charges.
Monson hired Arrington as his attorney, and Fox 5 reports that the “lawsuit alleges that Commissioner Arrington, a close associate of Monson, wielded undue influence within the District Attorney’s Office, circumventing policies and negotiating plea deals, compromising the legal process.” Monson fired Arrington as his attorney in 2020, but the DA’s office continued to offer lenient plea deals.
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Mainor alleges that Willis and her office intentionally dismissed her legitimate claims against Monson — who, incidentally, is Mainor’s current Democratic opponent — and that Willis ignored Arrington’s influence-peddling with judges.
Fox 5 reports that “Mainor filed complaints against Arrington with the State Bar of Georgia and the Fulton County Ethics Board, citing numerous ethics violations. However, the Board reportedly dismissed the complaint without holding Arrington accountable.”
This lawsuit might be worth popping some popcorn for because Mainor is also petitioning the court to consider Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) violations against Willis, Arrington, and the Fulton County Board of Ethics. This is particularly notable because Willis is fond of RICO trials and because it’s Willis’ biggest weapon against Trump and his co-defendants.
Stay tuned to this case. We’ll keep you posted on what happens, and hopefully, we can celebrate Mainor’s triumph together. (You can view the court documents at the end of this article.)
In other Willis news, the DA has declined to debate her challengers. Her campaign said in a statement:
Fani appreciates the invitation and under other circumstances she would participate, but after careful consideration, she must decline. We are not doing interviews that include discussion of the substance of high-profile cases the office is prosecuting, particularly the election interference prosecution and the ongoing trial of alleged YSL defendants.
We understand that she cannot insist that panelists and her opponent avoid certain subjects, and consequently, her participation means likely repeatedly being unable to respond to questions, as well as risking saying something that defense counsel could make an issue of in ongoing litigation.
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“The Atlanta Press Club is disappointed when any qualified candidate declines to participate in our debate series,” said Lauri Strauss, organizer of the Atlanta Press Club debates. “We believe it is the responsibility of people running for public office to answer questions from their local media that will help inform voters before they cast their ballots.”
In Sunday’s first debate, Willis’s Democrat opponent, Christian Wise Smith, debated an empty podium. Willis was too busy co-hosting a “Self-Care Fair.” Talk about dodging accountability!
Here’s the court filing in Mainor’s suit:
Mesha Mainor Lawsuit by PJ Media on Scribd