Georgia lawmaker says Fulton County DA Fani Willis spends taxpayer dollars 'like the Wild West'

A Georgia lawmaker alleged during a hearing that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis spends taxpayer dollars "like the Wild West" and has misused public funds.

"This is sounding to me kind of like the Wild West, very little control from Fulton County over a $36 million budget," State Sen. Bill Cowsert said after questioning Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts and Fulton County Chief Financial Officer Sharon Whittmore about how Willis' office receives and spends its funds. 

The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations had a meeting on Friday to investigate allegations that Willis engaged in potential misuse of public funds and potential conflicts of interest, according to Fox News. Willis has denied these allegations. 

Last year Willis indicted former President Donald Trump, now the apparent 2024 GOP presidential nominee, and 18 co-defendants over their efforts to challenge the 2020 election results in Georgia.

A Trump co-defendant tried to have Willis removed upon learning she and Nathan Wade, whom she appointed as special prosecutor in the case, had a romantic relationship. Among the arguments was that Willis financially benefited from the deal, considering, in part, Wade was paying for them to take romantic vacations together out of the funds he was paid in the case. 

"And [the district attorney] doesn't have to even report back to you how the money was spent or who was hired as an independent contractor and how much they were paid?" Cowsert asked Commissioner Pitts during the hearing. 

"That's correct," he responded.