ATLANTA (AP) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, the Georgia prosecutor who presented charges against former President Donald Trump Due to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, he won his re-election bid.

Willis, a Democrat, defeated the Republicans challenger Courtney Kramerwho had interned in the White House counsel’s office during the Trump presidency and is actively involved in Republican organizations. Fulton County, which is home to 11% of the state’s electorate and includes most of the city of Atlanta, is a Democratic stronghold.

Willis took office in January 2021 after defeating his predecessor – and former boss – veteran district attorney Paul Howard in a Bitter fight in Democratic primaries in 2020. He had no Republican opponent in the general election in November of that year.

He made headlines just a month into his term when announced in February 2021 that was investigating whether Trump and others broke any laws in trying to overturn his narrow loss in the state to Democrat Joe Biden. Two and a half years later, after an investigation that included summoning dozens of witnesses before a special grand juryobtained a sprawling racketeering indictment against Trump and 18 others in August 2023.

four people has pleaded guilty after reaching agreements with prosecutors. Trump and the others who remain have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

That case is largely on hold while Trump and other defendants appeal to judge’s ruling allowing Willis to continue prosecuting the case. They argue that a romantic relationship Willis had with a special prosecutor she had been hired to lead the prosecution created a conflict of interest. The Georgia Court of Appeals plan to listen to arguments on December 5th.

The election interference prosecution has made Willis a target of Republican attacks and investigations. Trump has repeatedly criticized her during public appearances and on social media. And state and federal legislators have open investigations about how he runs his office.

Willis has also used the state law against organized crime to prosecute alleged gang activity, including high profile case against rapper Young Thug. That case has been stalled by problems that dragged on for nearly two years. jury selection it took almost 10 months and opening statements It was a year ago this month. Young Thug and three other defendants pleaded guilty last week to the charges against them, but two defendants remain on trial.

While Willis is a Democrat, he does not fit into the group of progressive prosecutors elected in jurisdictions across the country in recent years. Some left-wing critics believe she is overzealous in her use of the state’s organized crime and gang laws, unnecessarily complicating cases to get harsher penalties attached to those statutes.

Progressive lawyer Christian Wise Smith challenged Willis in the Democratic primaries elections in May, but she defeated him easily. Kramer ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

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