Key attorney to testify to Georgia state Senate panel on efforts to disqualify Willis from election subversion case

Originally Published: 06 MAR 24 06:00 ET By Jason Morris, CNN

(CNN) — A Georgia state Senate committee investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will hear testimony on Wednesday from the defense attorney who initially launched the bombshell allegations of the DA’s allegedly improper relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

Ashleigh Merchant, the defense attorney representing former Trump campaign official Mike Roman in the election subversion case, is the inaugural witness to appear before the panel.

The committee of six Republicans and three Democrats was initiated to investigate whether Willis showed a potential conflict of interest or misused public funds in her relationship with her special prosecutor, who she hired in 2021, before they claim their romantic relationship began.

The committee has also requested copies of key documents that Merchant used as evidence in her attempts to have Willis removed from spearheading the sprawling 2020 Georgia election interference racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 14 of his co-defendants.

The panel can amend Georgia law or create new legislation but lacks the power to directly sanction Willis.

At the first committee hearing to investigate Willis, Republican Committee Chairman Sen. Bill Cowsert said they have heard from “whistleblowers” in the Fulton County District Attorney’s office but did not elaborate on what information they provided. He said the committee intends to dig into any credible allegations – no matter how long the investigation takes – and plans to subpoena additional witnesses.

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