Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) signed a bill aiming to rein in “rogue” prosecutors amid wider scrutiny surrounding Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
The bill will allow the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission, created last year, to determine its own rules without the state Supreme Court’s approval. Speaking to the press at the signing of the bill, Kemp cited the issue of crime, saying the legislation was needed to ensure prosecutors were properly prosecuting criminals.
“This legislation will help us ensure rogue or incompetent prosecutors are held accountable if they refuse to uphold the law,” Kemp said. “As we know all too well, crime has been on the rise across the country, and especially prevalent in cities where prosecutors are giving criminals a free pass or failing to put them behind bars due to lack of professional conduct.”
“When out of touch prosecutors put politics over public safety, the community suffers, and people and property are put at risk,” he continued. “Today, we are renewing our commitment that we won’t forfeit public safety for prosecutors. They let criminals off the hook. Georgians deserve better, and they deserve to feel safe in their own communities.”
March 13, 2024: Gov. Kemp Signs Legislation Providing Fix to the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission https://t.co/dMdeGZbe0n
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) March 13, 2024
Republican House Speaker Jon Burns clarified that the legislation was not aimed at Willis or any one person.
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“For us in the House, our focus is not on any one person, not on any one situation,” Burns told reporters. “It’s about asking the folks that are elected, just like me, to do their jobs and protect the citizens of this state.”
The legislation is similar to that enacted in Texas, which enacted the legislation largely over fears that prosecutors would refuse to prosecute abortion-related crimes.