OAN Staff Abril Elfi
12:45 PM – Monday, March 17, 2025
Fulton County District Fani Willis has been ordered to pay over $54,000 for violating open records laws in President Donald Trump’s case.
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Rachel Krause, the Superior Court judge for Fulton County, ruled that Willis is ordered to pay $54,264 in attorneys’ fees and litigation costs after “intentionally” failing to deliver records requested by Ashleigh Merchant, the attorney who filed legal documents to disqualify Willis from prosecuting Trump on accusations of suspected election interference in 2020.
She went on to explain that Willis’ office had failed to provide documents related to the employment of Nathan Wade, the former special assistant district attorney who was forced to resign from the case after his romantic relationship with Willis came to light.
Merchant stated in the court order that she believed that Willis and Wade likely both financially benefited from Wade’s appointment as the special prosecutor in the case.
“Defendants — through the Open Records custodian, Dexter Bond — were openly hostile to counsel for Plaintiff, Ms. Merchant, and testified that Ms. Merchant’s requests were handled differently than other requests,” the court order stated.
Open Records Custodian Dexter Bond, who had testified that his usual protocol was to call a requestor to receive additional information to fulfill requests, admitted that he essentially refused to communicate with Merchant by telephone — which is highlighted in the order.
“While there is no requirement under the ORA for Mr. Bond to call any requestor about a particular request, Mr. Bond’s handling of Ms. Merchant’s requests in this manner indicates a lack of good faith,” the order said. “Defendants’ failures were intentional, not done in good faith, and were substantially groundless and vexatious.”
After hearing of Krause’s ruling, Merchant posted on social media, expressing that she was “proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!!”
The Fulton County DA’s office has 30 days from the court’s order to pay the fine. The plaintiff also received injunctive relief directing Willis to provide the long-awaited documents.
If she refuses, the judge also said Merchant can be awarded attorney’s fees and expenses incurred for getting the DA’s office to comply with the order.
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