Gov. Brian Kemp rejects calls to discipline or remove Fulton County DA Fani Willis after Trump indictment

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is rejecting calls to discipline or remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from her position following the fourth indictment of former President Donald Trump.

Willis, a Democrat and the first Black woman to serve in the position, has become a lightning rod for attacks by supporters of Trump, who was indicted by grand jury along with 18 others in a case Willis brought alleging a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

“As long as I’m governor, we are going to follow the law and the Constitution regardless of who it helps politically," Kemp said during a press conference Thursday.

The governor said calling a special session of the Georgia legislature to remove Willis from her position, which some Trump-aligned legislators have demanded, is not feasible and "may ultimately prove to be unconstitutional."

"Up to this point, I have not seen any evidence that DA Willis' actions or lack thereof warrant action by the prosecuting attorney oversight commission," he said. "But that will ultimately be a decision the commission will make."

Kemp signed a state law this year creating a new panel, dubbed the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission, that can discipline, remove or apply measures against prosecutors who are not following the law.

Kemp's comments come after a call from a Georgia faith leader representing more than 530 churches for the governor to publicly oppose Republican efforts to remove or discipline of Willis.

Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, head of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Georgia, sent a letter to Kemp last week that comes at a time when Republican governors are cracking down on liberal-leaning prosecutors.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gov. Kemp isn't caving to GOP pressure to remove DA Fani Willis