Georgia House passes bill to hold prosecutors accountable

The Georgia House of Representatives on Monday voted 95-75 to assemble a commission with powers to discipline and remove prosecutors. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp last year signed legislation creating the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission, but the Georgia Supreme Court refused to approve rules governing its conduct. As a result, the commission could not begin operations.

Why is this happening? Democratic lawmakers say the legislation is targeted at Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has brought charges against former President Donald Trump over the 2020 election. One of Trump’s co-defendants in his Georgia indictment earlier this month filed to have charges against him dismissed, alleging that Willis had engaged in prosecutorial misconduct.

What do Republicans say? House bill sponsor Rep. Joseph Gullett has said the bill would target all rogue prosecuting attorneys who abuse their offices. Late last week, the Georgia Senate approved Republican-sponsored legislation to create a committee dedicated specifically to investigating Willis. Democrats also criticized that legislation as a partisan attempt to support Trump.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Stew about Willis’s prosecution of Trump.