Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Aug. 31 rejected a plea from state Republicans to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis after former President Donald Trump’s indictment for alleged election interference.
The Republican governor, who has sometimes been at odds with President Trump, stated that he wouldn’t hold a special legislative session to oust Ms. Willis. The governor said an attempt to impeach Ms. Willis isn’t feasible and “may ultimately prove to be unconstitutional.”
“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,” Mr. Kemp said on Aug. 31. “As long as I am governor, we’re going to follow the law and the Constitution, regardless of who it helps or harms politically.”
Since President Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted in August, some Georgia state lawmakers have suggested a special session to remove Ms. Willis, although a conviction would require a two-thirds majority vote in the state Senate. The state GOP likely wouldn’t have enough votes in the upper chamber, making it an uphill fight.
“While this real-time crisis unfolds, unfortunately, we continue to have a few members of the General Assembly making misleading or false claims about the General Assembly’s lawful powers regarding an ongoing criminal case before our Judiciary,” he wrote. “It is an unfortunate reality of today’s politics that theatrics sometimes garner more attention than genuine human needs like those that will unfold today in south and coastal Georgia.”
Rocky Relationship
Since 2020, the relationship between Mr. Kemp and the former president has been rocky, after Mr. Kemp claimed that there was no voter fraud during the presidential election that year. He also refused to hold a special legislative session at President Trump’s request over election irregularities.“Brian Kemp is a turncoat, a coward, and a complete and total disaster,” the 45th president told a crowd in March 2022 while he supported Mr. Kemp’s then-primary challenger. “Before we can defeat the Democrats, socialists, and communists ... we first have to defeat the RINO sellouts and the losers in the primaries this spring.”
In August, Mr. Kemp again claimed that the 2020 election “was not stolen,” apparently referring to President Trump’s claims.
“Our elections in Georgia are secure, accessible, and fair and will continue to be as long as I am governor,” he said.
On Aug. 31, President Trump entered a not guilty plea to all charges in Fulton County and waived his right to be present during the arraignment. Last week, the former president’s mugshot was taken, which he immediately used for campaign merchandise and to produce his first post on X, formerly known as Twitter, in more than two years.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee set arraignment hearings for President Trump and the 18 others charged in the case for Sept. 6. A court filing to waive arraignment means he won’t have to appear for that.
Several other people charged in the indictment had already waived arraignment in filings with the court, saving them a trip to the courthouse in downtown Atlanta. At least two defendants have filed demands for a speedy trial and have asked to be tried separately from others in the case.
As the front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, President Trump has criticized the cases against him as part of a politically motivated attempt to keep him from winning back the White House in 2024. He’s also facing charges in three other cases, including two relating to special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations as well as charges that were brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
