Brian Kemp shoots down effort to remove Trump prosecutor Fani Willis

Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp dismissed the idea of state lawmakers holding a special session to remove from office Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who’s prosecuting the election interference case against former President Donald Trump.

“Let me be clear: We have a law in the state of Georgia that clearly outlines the legal steps that can be taken if constituents believe their local prosecutors are violating their oath by engaging in unethical or illegal behavior,” Kemp said at a press conference on Thursday. 

“Up to this point, I have not seen any evidence that DA Willis’ actions or lack thereof warrant action by the prosecuting attorney oversight commission. As long as I’m governor, we are going to follow the law and the Constitution — regardless of who it helps politically,” he added. 

Calls for a special legislative session that would potentially lead to the impeachment of Willis have been spearheaded by Republican state Sen. Colton Moore, who earlier this month sent a letter to Kemp arguing that “an emergency exists in the affairs of the state, requiring a special session to be convened” in order to review “the actions of Fani Willis.” 

Moore has implored fellow GOP state senators to sign onto his letter and has also created an online petition to “investigate the office of corrupt District Attorney Fani Willis.”

“I am demanding that we defund her office until we find out what the hell is going on,” Moore writes in the petition.  

Moore’s efforts have been praised by the 77-year-old former president, who is facing 13 felony counts in Willis’ case, but few GOP state lawmakers are backing calls to investigate the 52-year-old prosecutor. 

“Highly respected Georgia state Senator Colton Moore deserves thanks and congratulations of everyone for having the courage and conviction to fight the radical left lunatics who are so badly hurting the great state of Georgia and, frankly, the USA itself,” Trump said in a video posted on Truth Social Wednesday. 

Republican Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns blasted the effort this week, arguing that would be unconstitutional. 

“Targeting one specific DA in this manner certainly flaunts the idea of separation of powers, if not outright violates it,” he wrote in a Wednesday letter to the GOP caucus.

“Sadly, Georgia REPUBLICANS are blocking my efforts,” Moore tweeted on Wednesday.

Trump opted against being arraigned in person in response to the Georgia indictment accusing him of illegally conspiring to overturn the state’s 2020 election result and entered a plea of not guilty Thursday. 

Kemp has strongly disavowed claims of election fraud that were advanced by the former president.

“The 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen. For nearly three years now, anyone with evidence of fraud has failed to come forward – under oath – and prove anything in a court of law,” Kemp wrote in a tweet earlier this month.

“Our elections in Georgia are secure, accessible, and fair and will continue to be as long as I am governor. The future of our country is at stake in 2024 and that must be our focus,” the governor said.