Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a law on Wednesday granting a state commission the authority to operate with the ability to discipline and remove prosecutors. This move has the potential to disrupt Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' prosecution of President Trump.
“This legislation will help us ensure rogue and incompetent prosecutors are held accountable if they refuse to uphold the law,” Kemp explained.
Although Kemp signed legislation last year to establish the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission, it faced delays in commencing operations as the state Supreme Court declined to approve rules governing its conduct in November. The justices expressed reservations about regulating the responsibilities of district attorneys beyond legal practice. The recent measure removes the need for Supreme Court approval.
The law mandates that district attorneys and solicitors general, responsible for prosecuting lower-level cases in certain counties, assess each case individually rather than declining to prosecute entire categories of offenses. Critics argue that this approach would restrict prosecutors' discretion in handling cases.
The law was passed into effect at the same time the state Senate has established a special investigative committee, intended by Republicans to examine whether Willis utilized state funds for personal gain by hiring attorney Nathan Wade as a special prosecutor in the Trump case. This committee has already received testimony from Ashleigh Merchant, the defense attorney for co-defendant Michael Roman, who initially raised concerns about Wade.
