Fani T. Willis, the Atlanta district attorney leading an election interference case against Donald J. Trump, says the trial likely won’t conclude until the early part of 2025. She charged Trump and 14 allies with participating in a criminal enterprise to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, with four of the defendants taking plea deals. Some leaked videos from private testimony of those who have entered plea agreements have sparked controversy and led to speculation of a summer start for the trial.
At a women’s conference held by The Washington Post, Ms. Willis also addressed the leaked videos and subtly referenced the “top of the ladder,” likely alluding to Mr. Trump. Trump’s lead lawyer in Georgia, Steve Sadow, dismissed the leaked video contents, while a spokesperson for Rudolph W. Giuliani called it part of an attempt to keep Trump out of the White House in 2024. Ms. Willis also mentioned that she has received over 100 threats, many of them racist, against her due to the nature of the case. Despite the threats and increased security, Willis stresses that she will continue to conduct business as usual and describes herself as a law-and-order district attorney.
In addition, Ms. Willis declined to comment on “meaningful contact” between her office and the special prosecutor appointed by the Justice Department leading two other criminal cases against Mr. Trump. She also mentioned that she has faced racism and doubt from critics and has stated that she is a “prosecutor’s prosecutor” who has no qualms about putting someone in jail for life to achieve justice.
