Judge says Fani Willis broke law, tells her to pay $54K in legal fees

ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A Fulton County Superior Court judge has ordered District Attorney Fani Willis to pay more than $54,000 in fees to the attorney who has effectively brought down Willis’ election interference case against Donald Trump.

In a ruling this past Friday, Judge Rachel Krause ordered Willis to pay $54,103.23 to the Merchant Law Firm. The firm’s principal, Ashleigh Merchant, first brought attention to Willis' romantic and business relationship with Nathan Wade, who Willis hired to investigate her historic interference case against Trump and more than a dozen co-defendants.

Merchant represents Michael Roman, one of those co-defendants.

Merchant has been attempting to force Willis into disclosing the funds the DA’s office has used in its prosecution of Trump, now the nation’s 47th president. Willis has been arguing her office is not subject to Georgia open record laws.

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who chairs the powerful U.S. House Judiciary Committee, has also been attempting to compel Willis to testify in Congress regarding the use of taxpayer funds in her now-stalled investigation.

This story is developing.