ATLANTA — A group of African-American faith leaders vowed Monday to support Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as she deals with death threats and political pushback, both stemming from her prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
Gathered on the steps of historic Big Bethel AME Church in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood renowned for its connection to the civil rights movement, the group endorsed Willis’ bid for a second term as Fulton’s top prosecutor. Willis is being challenged in the May 21 Democratic primary by former Fulton County prosecutor Christian Wise Smith.
“We make this endorsement today because of her record, her principles and her commitment to service,” said Georgia AME Bishop Reginald Jackson. “Fani Willis is a person of tremendous courage and integrity.”
Willis drew national and international attention last August when the grand jury she empaneled indicted Trump and 18 co-defendants on racketeering charges accusing them of taking part in a criminal conspiracy to overturn the results of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.
With that fame came death threats from Trump supporters, including an announcement just last Friday that Marc Shultz, 66, of Chula Vista, California, was indicted late last month for allegedly posting two separate YouTube videos threatening that Willis “will be killed like a dog.”
On Monday, Willis said she will not let such threats dissuade her from doing the job she was elected to do.
“I don’t care how many times they threaten me,” she said. “If we brought an indictment, we plan on prosecuting it.”
Willis also pushed back at criticism leveled by Smith and Republicans in the state Senate that focusing so much of her office’s attention on prosecuting Trump and his allies has diverted away resources her agency should be using to go after violent criminals in Atlanta.
She said the DA’s office was swamped with a backlog of cases going back seven years when she took office.
“We’ve been able to get rid of that massive backlog,” she said.
Willis said homicides have decreased more than 21% on her watch.
“Atlanta had a gang problem,” she said. “We’ve been able to bring crime down.”
Willis said she could do more to reduce overcrowding at the Fulton County Jail if the county commission would provide her and Sheriff Patrick Labat with more funding.
“We’re doing the best job we can with the resources we have been given,” she said.
The Republican-controlled state Senate’s Special Committee on Investigations has invited Willis to testify about her use of public funds to pursue the Trump case. Committee Chairman Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, said last Friday the committee would issue a subpoena to Willis if she doesn’t come voluntarily.
“I don’t think they have the authority to subpoena me,” Willis said Monday. “I will not appear for anything that is unlawful.”