Black women have been recognized for their key roles in multiple federal and state elections deemed critical to “saving” U.S. democracy. So, it makes sense that three Black women occupy key positions in efforts to hold twice impeached former U.S. president Donald Trump accountable for crimes for which he’s indicted.
Fani Willis
Aug. 14 marked Trump’s fourth indictment, this time in Atlanta on charges he and his supporters attempted to interfere with Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results by demanding Georgia Secretary of State “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory in the state.
The indictment, which includes 18 other defendants, was brought by Fulton County District Attorney and Howard alumna Fani Willis.
Willis remains focused on her case, even amid social media attacks by Trump who calls Willis the “racist DA from Atlanta.”
“The indictment alleges that rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result,” said Willis at the Aug. 14 news conference.
Letitia James
On Sept. 21, 2022, New York Attorney General Letitia James, also a Howard alum, accused Trump, the Trump Organization and three of his children, of “significant fraudulent and illegal business activity” including inflating his personal net worth and assets by “billions of dollars.”
“Mr. Trump should not get to play by different rules,” James said in an Oct. 2023 official statement.
The state of New York seeks $250 million, to prohibit Trump from moving assets to evade liability and to permanently ban the Trump family from doing business in the state.
Tanya S. Chutkan
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan (DC) is the trial judge assigned to oversee Trump’s criminal charges for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and the same federal judge who rejected his efforts to use executive privilege to withhold White House communications from Jan. 6 Capitol riot investigators. She has also handed down tough sentences against some January 6 rioters.
“Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President,” Chutkan, the Kingston, Jamaica native wrote.
