Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ team accused former President Donald Trump’s lawyer of racism after he called them out for not responding to his emails during a fiery exchange last week, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
The tense email chain, composed of the prosecution and defense lawyers, began when Trump attorney Steven Sadow grew frustrated with Willis’ team for not answering a previous request, to which Willis said that “some people will never be able to respect African Americans,” according to the emails obtained by the NYT.
Sadow had asked whether the letter Willis wrote to the Jan. 6 Committee in December 2021 was responded to by committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, a source familiar with the matter told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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“For the life of me, I cannot understand why you refuse to respond to the series of emails below,” Sadow wrote on Jan. 5, according to the NYT.
Daysha Young, the executive district attorney on Willis’ team, replied five days later that they “are both aware, especially as an African American woman some find it difficult to treat us respectfully,” according to the outlet.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk launched an investigation into Willis, who indicted Trump over alleged interference in the state’s 2020 election, in early December 2023 for allegedly “colluding” with the Jan. 6 Committee.
The Republicans’ investigation stems from the letter Sadow inquired about in the email exchange. Willis requested records including “recordings and transcripts of witness interviews and depositions, electronic and print records of communications, and records of travel” from the Jan. 6 Committee in the letter.
“Over the last month the emails of some of you have been disrespectful and condescending lacking both professionalism and decorum,” Young added.
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Young also said she didn’t respond to certain emails that she viewed as disrespectful, the NYT reported.
Sadow replied that it was “offensive, uncalled for and untrue” for Young to allege racism in the email exchange, adding that her decision not to respond to emails “suggests a degree of haughtiness,” according to the outlet.
Willis jumped in, stating that “in the legal community (and the world at large) some people will never be able to respect African Americans and/or women as their equal and counterpart,” per the NYT.
“That is a burden you do not experience. Further, some are so used to doing it they are not even aware they are doing it while others are intentional in their continued disrespect,” said Willis.
“Now you know, I cannot be bullied,” Willis added. “So I do not even think anyone on this team thought someone was silly enough to try that as a tactic. As you are aware, I have now experienced some of the most powerful people in the country call me everything, but a child of God. But, yet here I and my team stand still pursuing justice.”
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Willis also suggested on Sunday that racism was behind the recent allegations that she had an improper relationship with Nathan Wade, a special attorney involved with Trump’s prosecution that her office had paid. The judge overseeing Trump’s case will consider the allegations made about Willis’ relationship during a Feb. 15 hearing.
Sadow declined to comment, and Willis’ office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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