Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has declined to produce any new communications with outgoing Special Counsel Jack Smith or the House January 6th Committee, according to a court filing this week.
The move deals a blow to Judicial Watch, a conservative legal group, which has been seeking the records as part of its ongoing scrutiny of investigations surrounding former President Donald Trump.
In March, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against Willis, alleging she failed to comply with Georgia’s open records laws by not responding to requests for correspondence with Smith and the January 6th Committee.
Both Smith and the committee investigated alleged efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Court Ruling and Willis’s Response
Last week, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled that Willis had violated the state’s open records law and ordered her to produce the requested records within five business days.
However, the Fulton County Open Records Department stated in a new filing that its staff conducted a “diligent search” but found no documents or communications between Willis and Smith.
The department also asserted that any correspondence with the January 6th Committee is legally exempt under Georgia’s open records law.
The exemptions cover records tied to investigations, indictments, or prosecutions, particularly in ongoing cases such as the racketeering charges brought by Willis against Trump and 18 others last year.
Willis has argued that her office was not properly served by Judicial Watch, a claim that remains a point of contention.
Republican Scrutiny and Broader Implications
Willis’s handling of the Trump case has faced heightened scrutiny from Republican lawmakers and conservative nonprofit organizations.
The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee previously alleged that Willis requested information from the January 6th Committee, raising further questions about potential coordination between her office and federal or congressional investigators.
The charges against Trump in Georgia, stemming from allegations that he and his associates attempted to overturn the 2020 election results, remain active.
Trump has pleaded not guilty, and his legal team has filed motions to disqualify Willis from the case, citing conflicts of interest.
Meanwhile, Special Counsel Jack Smith has concluded all federal proceedings against Trump following his election as president in 2024, adhering to Justice Department policy prohibiting the indictment of a sitting president.
