A friend of mine who is a lawyer in Georgia confirmed my instinct. He sent me a whole range of crimes that may be implicated by Willis having misused (read stolen) public money for her private pleasures and purposes.

He suggested a preliminary review led to a series of potential federal and state criminal violations. His list included:

* Honest services fraud, or essentially kickbacks (18 USC 1346).
* Violation of public oath (Ga. Code Ann., § 16-10-1).
* Bribery (Ga. Code Ann., § 16-10-2).
* Improper influence of a government official (Ga. Code Ann., § 16-10-5).
* Criminal conspiracy (Ga. Code Ann., § 16-4-8).
* Conspiracy to defraud government (Ga. Code Ann., § 16-10-21).
* Racketeering (Ga. Code Ann., §§ 16-14-1 through 12).
* False statements and concealment (Ga. Code Ann., § 16-10-20).
* Fulton County’s gift ban (Fulton County Code of Laws § 2-69(a)).
* Similar Georgia laws against public corruption.

[I remarked the other day that this scheme to benefit personally by hiring a paramour could be seen as a “racket” in legal terms — especially by Willis’ own standard. I doubt she’ll get charged with a crime, but it’s an open question as to whether the state bar will act against both Willis and Nathan Wade if the allegations prove to be true. — Ed]