The ethics hearing involving Fani Willis, which stemmed from allegations by a co-defendant of Donald Trump accusing the prosecutor of misconduct in the Georgia RICO case, was marked by several noteworthy moments.
Among these, one particular instance resonated deeply with MSNBC legal analyst and host Katie Phang, known for her coverage of Judge Cannon’s rulings in Trump’s Florida criminal documents case. Speaking on a Sunday program, Phang shared her lingering thoughts about a segment of the hearing that focused on Willis’ father.
During the hearing, Floyd, Willis’ father, made a poignant statement about the personal toll the case has taken on his family. He revealed that not only had Willis herself been targeted, but her children, his grandchildren, had also been subjected to death threats as a direct consequence of her involvement in prosecuting the RICO case. This, he stressed, was merely a result of Willis fulfilling her professional duties.
“I was struck by the testimony of John C. Floyd, III, the father of DA Fani Willis,” Phang said on her social media. “Mr. Floyd testified that Willis was forced to move out of the brand-new home she bought with her own hard-earned money because of the death threats she has received.”
Further elaborating on the intimidation faced by the Willis family, Phang recounted an incident from 2021 where protestors descended upon Willis’ residence early in the morning, around 5 a.m. The demonstrators were not just present but were vocally abusive, hurling insults and engaging in derogatory name-calling against Willis, using highly offensive and racist language. The use of such language, particularly the ‘n-word’, was emphasized by Phang as being particularly abhorrent and reflective of the vile nature of the harassment faced by Willis and her family.
“Simply because she is doing her job,” the attorney added.
Phang recalled how Floyd had “testified that, in 2021, protesters showed up at Willis’ home at 5 am.”
“They were cursing and yelling, calling his daughter a ‘b- word’ and the ‘n word.’ The ‘n-word,'” the legal analyst reiterated. “How disgusting and vile.”
“For decades, Mr. Floyd fought for civil rights & for the rights of others. He was a criminal defense attorney. He worked to get Nelson Mandela out of prison. Only to have his daughter be threatened with death & harm & to be called the ‘n-word’?!” Phang questioned.
“Mr. Floyd spoke about how he rarely gets to see his daughter because of concerns over her safety. He intentionally does not learn where she lives to protect her. He is constantly worried about her safety,” she added.
That appears to have resonated with Phang on a personal level.
“For me, as a parent, I’m working so hard to try to make this world a better and safer place for my daughter. How terrible this experience must be for Mr. Floyd, as a father and as someone who has taught his daughter to treat everyone with dignity and respect,” she said Sunday.
