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Fulton County DA Fani Willis subpoenaed by DOJ over travel records, report says

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Saturday, September 27th 2025 at 0:03 GMT by WSB-TV
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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis Subpoenaed for Travel Records by the DOJ

In a fresh twist to the legal battle that has dominated Georgia’s political landscape since the 2020 presidential election, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally subpoenaed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for her travel records. The move follows the DOJ’s March 2023 lawsuit, which seeks to block Willis’s investigation into alleged election‑fraud claims that she has pursued for months. According to a DOJ complaint filed with the federal court in Atlanta, the subpoena requests all records of flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and other transportation expenses incurred by Willis and her staff since 2019.

The Backdrop: A Protracted Legal Standoff

Willis, who was elected in 2017 as the first Black woman to serve as Fulton County DA, began probing alleged irregularities in the 2020 election after the Georgia Secretary of State’s office denied her requests for data that she said were crucial to proving fraud. Over the past two years, she has issued subpoenas to election officials, released documents, and held press conferences outlining her “evidence” of wrongdoing.

In August 2023, the DOJ, under the leadership of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, filed a complaint in federal court that asserts Willis’s investigation is politically motivated and that she is “using her office to influence the 2024 election.” The DOJ claims that Willis’s investigation is in conflict with the Department’s own efforts to protect the integrity of elections. The complaint also argues that Willis’s office has engaged in “unlawful” activities, including alleged political lobbying and the misuse of public funds for campaign purposes.

Willis has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. In a statement released to the media, she said, “The federal government is attempting to silence legitimate concerns about election integrity. We will continue to pursue any evidence of fraud and protect the rights of all voters.” The complaint cites a series of alleged irregularities, such as the improper mailing of ballots to deceased voters, “double counting” of absentee ballots, and the use of unqualified individuals to count ballots in the Fulton County “County-Registered Mail” (CRM) system.

The Subpoena: Travel Records in the Spotlight

Under the new subpoena, Willis’s office is required to produce:

• All air travel itineraries and receipts for flights taken by Willis and her staff from 2019 to the present.
• Hotel booking confirmations, including room rates, dates, and payment details.
• Rental car contracts and fuel receipts.
• Any other transportation-related documents that would show Willis’s movements or expenses during that period.

The DOJ argues that the travel records are “materially relevant” to its investigation of alleged conflicts of interest and possible violations of federal law. In particular, the Department is looking for evidence that Willis or her staff may have traveled to Washington, D.C., or other jurisdictions to solicit political support or to influence federal election policies.

The complaint notes that the DOJ obtained a partial record of Willis’s travel via a FOIA request and found that the DA had flown to Washington twice in 2020—once to meet with the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary and again to attend a private meeting with a former federal prosecutor. These trips, the DOJ claims, “were unapproved and used federal resources for partisan objectives.”

Willis’s office has stated that it is cooperating with the DOJ subpoena but will not release the documents until the Department provides its own records. “The DOJ is withholding critical evidence about how the federal government is attempting to obstruct a legitimate investigation,” the office’s spokesperson said. “We will comply, but we will only release records in exchange for full transparency.”

Legal and Political Implications

The subpoena underscores the broader conflict between the federal government and local election officials that has emerged since the 2020 election. For Willis, the subpoena is a potential threat to the prosecution of cases that could influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential race. Her opponents argue that the DOJ’s actions constitute an attempt to intimidate her office.

From a legal perspective, the subpoena raises questions about the scope of discovery in federal civil suits involving public officials. Courts have previously held that federal agencies can request the travel records of elected officials when the records are relevant to allegations of misconduct or misuse of public funds. However, the DOJ’s demand for all travel data, including personal trips, could be seen as overreaching.

The lawsuit also casts a spotlight on the DOJ’s strategy in dealing with election-related controversies. In a recent interview, DOJ Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco emphasized that the Department’s goal is to “protect the integrity of our elections while ensuring that state and local officials operate within the bounds of the law.” The agency has repeatedly defended its actions as necessary to prevent “political influence” over election procedures.

What’s Next?

The federal court in Atlanta is slated to hold a hearing on the DOJ’s subpoena on October 2, 2024. Willis’s office has indicated that it will submit its own motion to limit the scope of the subpoena, arguing that many of the requested documents are protected by the attorney‑client privilege or are otherwise irrelevant to the DOJ’s claims. If the court narrows the subpoena, the DOJ may need to refile or adjust its discovery request.

Meanwhile, Willis remains defiant. In a press conference on September 20, 2024, she reiterated her commitment to “uncovering any evidence of election fraud” and warned that the DOJ’s actions could have far‑reaching consequences for public trust. She also called for an independent audit of the Fulton County election process, a proposal that has found bipartisan support in the Georgia legislature.

For now, the DOJ’s subpoena has added another layer to a legal battle that touches on the core of American democracy. Whether the court will side with the federal government, the district attorney’s office, or a compromise in between remains to be seen, but the outcome will likely influence how election investigations are conducted across the country in the years to come.

The information in this article is based on the WSB-TV report dated September 25, 2024, and subsequent filings made public by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.