{"id":2232704,"date":"2024-04-29T13:32:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-29T17:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fani-willis-fails-to-show-up-to-debate-leaving-opponent-to-face-an-empty-podium\/"},"modified":"2024-04-29T13:33:44","modified_gmt":"2024-04-29T17:33:44","slug":"fani-willis-fails-to-show-up-to-debate-leaving-opponent-to-face-an-empty-podium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fani-willis-fails-to-show-up-to-debate-leaving-opponent-to-face-an-empty-podium\/","title":{"rendered":"Fani Willis Skips Debate, Opponent Faces Empty Podium"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffani-willis-fails-to-show-up-to-debate-leaving-opponent-to-face-an-empty-podium%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2232704&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Fulton County District Attorney Fani\u200b Willis skipped a critical debate with \u2064opponent Christian Wise Smith, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/miller-i-see-no-place-for-a-flag-that-harbors-terrorism\/\" title=\"Miller: No Room for a Terrorist-Friendly Flag.\">drawing \u2064attention<\/a> to her absence and campaign strategies. The event highlighted their contrasting approaches, with Smith questioning Willis&#8217;s\u2063 decisions\u200d and outlining \u200chis plans if elected. \u2064Willis&#8217; \u200cno-show sparked discussions on her lead in \u2063the polls\u2064 and the impact of her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-will-hear-boston-marathon-bomber-execution-case\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Will Hear Boston Marathon Bomber Execution Case\">high-profile cases<\/a>. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis chose to \u200cskip a crucial debate with\u200d her opponent Christian Wise Smith. This decision brought focus to her absence and campaign tactics, shedding light on the differing perspectives between the candidates. Smith used this opportunity to \u200dcritique Willis&#8217;s choices and present his vision if he wins. Willis&#8217;s absence stirred debates on her poll lead and the significance of her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-reinstates-death-penalty-for-boston-bomber-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-committed-heinous-crimes\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Reinstates Death Penalty for Boston Bomber: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev 'Committed Heinous Crimes'\">notable cases<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/news\/\">  News <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/georgeupper\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/georgeupper\/%20\"><span>George C. Upper III<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   April 29, 2024 at 7:27am <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is running for re-election this November \u2026 sort of.<\/p>\n<p>Typically, candidates for elected office engage in campaign events like debates. Willis, however, was a no-show for Sunday evening\u2019s debate against opponent Christian Wise Smith.<\/p>\n<p>Smith, a former prosecutor for the county, debated an empty podium instead of Willis, as Georgia\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gpb.org\/news\/2024\/04\/29\/fulton-da-candidate-criticizes-willis-approach-in-trump-case\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Capitol Beat News Service<\/a> reported Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Some outlets claimed that Willis\u2019 failure to appear was surprising, but in fact she declined the invitation to participate at least a week ago, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/politics\/fulton-da-willis-to-skip-campaign-debate\/TRXECDQF4BA2BBQWIH3GQMKZ54\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Atlanta Journal-Constitution<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Willis\u2019 handling of the prosecution of former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-accuses-bidens-next-biggest-opponent-democrat-plant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a> has come under fire repeatedly, perhaps most famously for hiring Nathan Wade as special prosecutor, a man with whom he had a romantic involvement.<\/p>\n<p>Willis and Wade both insisted that the romance began only after he\u2019d already been hired, but the judge in the case ruled that Wade would have to resign as special prosecutor or that Willis herself would need to step aside. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-sounds-off-special-prosecutor-resigns-case-big-stuff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wade resigned<\/a> shortly after the judge announced his decision.<\/p>\n<p>During the debate, Wise Smith brought up the fact that Willis had decided to pay an outside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">attorney<\/a> to prosecute the case rather than assign someone from her own office to handle it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you pay one attorney $1 million to handle a case, it hurts everyone else in Fulton County,\u201d Wise Smith said, according to Capitol Beat.<\/p>\n<p>However, he added that he\u2019d continue the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/breaking-3-charges-trump-dismissed-fulton-county-judge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">case against Trump<\/a> if he is elected in November.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Should District Attorney Fani Willis be impeached?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe have to see (the Trump case) through while addressing everything else affecting Fulton,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>That wasn\u2019t the only thing Wise Smith suggeseted he would have done differently in Trump\u2019s case \u2014 not to mention several others in Fulton County.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWise Smith also questioned the use Willis has made of Georgia\u2019s broad RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) statute to go after criminal conspiracies, not only in the Trump case but in the prosecution of rapper Young Thug and a group of associates on gang-related charges and in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating scandal a few years back,\u201d Capitol Beat reported.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRICO was designed for organized crime,\u201d the former prosecutor said during the debate. :Using it against teachers is an overreach.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also said that he would work to reduce overcrowding at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oc-sheriff-refuses-to-release-1800-dangerous-inmates-including-murderers-and-child-molesters-after-judges-order\/\" title=\"OC Sheriff Refuses to Release 1,800 Dangerous Inmates \u2013 Including Murderers and Child Molesters \u2013 After Judge\u2019s Order\">county jail<\/a> through a \u201cdiversion program\u201d that would help \u201cbring people through the system a lot faster.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Willis was co-hosting the second annual \u201cSelf Care Fair\u201d Sunday evening as the debate was held, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/04\/29\/us-news\/fani-willis-da-opponent-christian-wiswe-smith-debates-vacant-podium-after-she-skips-event\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>According to a poll of Fulton County voters released four days prior to the debate, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/judge-goes-off-fani-willis-assistant-da-shouting-match-not-gonna-tolerate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Willis<\/a> was leading Wise Smith by a \u201ccommanding\u201d 70 points, with 79 percent support compared to his 9 percent, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox5atlanta.com\/news\/poll-shows-first-look-at-key-fulton-county-races\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WAGA-TV<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson told the outlet that Willis\u2019 lead was expected.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you look at this case against former President Donald Trump, it is received not just national attention but international attention,\u201d she said. \u201cShe is probably other than the New York DA, the most talked about DA in the world right now. How does that correlate to Fulton County voters? When you look at this poll, it is a very name-specific, name-recognition poll.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd everyone knows her name.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><b><i>An Important Message from Our Staff:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We who work here at The Western Journal have fought for years against Big Tech and the elites who want to shut us down and then shut America down. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Make no mistake \u2014 nothing will be the same after November 2024. Will you help us fight? Will you <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>help us expose the America-hating elites<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  who will do everything they can to steal this election? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We\u2019re a small group of people fighting to save the country for our readers and for our own family and friends. <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>Can we count on your help?<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<p><i><span>At this point, Big Tech has cut off our access to 90% of advertisers. Imagine if someone took 90% of your paycheck and there was nothing you could do. They\u2019re trying to starve us out.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Donations from readers like you have literally helped keep our lights on, and <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>we need you<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  now more than ever. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We operate on a shoestring budget, but with that budget, we terrify the globalists. Please help us continue the fight. <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>Stand with us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>, and we will never surrender.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Thank you for reading The Western Journal and for believing in America. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>It is a pleasure to serve you.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>P.S. Please don\u2019t let the America-hating left win. <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>Stand with us today<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-44802\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/georgeupper\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-44802\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-44802\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-44802\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-44802\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>George Upper is the former Editor-in-Chief of The Western Journal and was a weekly co-host of &#8220;WJ Live,&#8221; powered by The Western Journal. He is currently a contributing editor in the areas of faith, politics and culture. A former U.S. Army special operator, teacher and consultant, he is a lifetime member of the NRA and an active volunteer leader in his church. Born in Foxborough, Massachusetts, he has lived most of his life in central North Carolina.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  George Upper, is the former editor-in-chief of The Western Journal and is now a contributing editor in the areas of faith, politics and culture. He currently serves as the connections pastor at Awestruck Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is a former U.S. Army special operator, teacher, manager and consultant. Born in Massachusetts, he graduated from Foxborough High School before joining the Army and spending most of the next three years at Fort Bragg. He holds bachelor&#8217;s and master&#8217;s degrees in English as well as a Master&#8217;s in Business Administration, all from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He and his wife life only a short drive from his three children, their spouses and his grandchildren. He is a lifetime member of the NRA and in his spare time he shoots, reads a lot of Lawrence Block and John D. MacDonald, and watches Bruce Campbell movies. He is a fan of individual freedom, Tommy Bahama, fine-point G-2 pens and the Oxford comma. <\/p>\n<p>  Birthplace <\/p>\n<p>  Foxborough, Massachusetts <\/p>\n<p>  Nationality <\/p>\n<p>  American <\/p>\n<p>  Honors\/Awards <\/p>\n<p>  Beta Gamma Sigma <\/p>\n<p>  Education <\/p>\n<p>  B.A., English, UNCG; M.A., English, UNCG; MBA, UNCG <\/p>\n<p>  Location <\/p>\n<p>  North Carolina <\/p>\n<p>  Languages Spoken <\/p>\n<p>  English <\/p>\n<p>  Topics of Expertise <\/p>\n<p>  Faith, Business, Leadership and Management, Military, Politics <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fulton County DA Fani Willis, aiming for re-election, skipped a crucial debate against rival Christian Wise Smith. The absence at the Sunday event raised eyebrows, as electoral norms dictate active participation in campaign debates, fostering voter engagement. Smith, a former prosecutor, faced an empty podium, marking an unconventional political faceoff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2010,"featured_media":2232705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/default_wj.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2232704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/default_wj.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2232704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2010"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2232704"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2232704\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2232705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2232704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2232704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2232704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}