Fulton County DA Fani Willis testifies before Senate committee; Avoiding holiday scams

Summary

Georgia Today — December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Georgia Today delivers in-depth reporting on several key topics: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's testimony before a state Senate committee, funding challenges for Georgia homeless service organizations, a new affordable housing project in Macon, school improvement designations, layoffs, local purchasing power, and crucial advice for consumers on avoiding holiday scams.

---

Fulton County DA Fani Willis Testifies Before Senate Committee

Theme:
A tense hearing saw Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis defend her record amidst an ongoing investigation into her office by a predominantly Republican state Senate committee.

Key Details & Discussion Points:

• The committee focused on Willis's hiring of a special prosecutor—someone she had a personal relationship with—for the high-profile election interference case involving former President Donald Trump.
• The line of questioning was intense, with some senators accused of trying to intimidate Willis.
• Willis remained firm in her responses, refusing to be swayed or intimidated.

Notable Quotes:

• Willis (to committee):

  “You all want to intimidate people from doing the right thing and you think that you’re going to intimidate me. You all have been trying to intimidate me for five years.” (01:11)

• Former Governor Roy Barnes, Willis’s attorney:

  Called the questioning a “witch hunt” (01:19 paraphrase)

• Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch:

  “She owes it to the taxpayers and to the citizens of Fulton County to answer the questions.” (01:26)

Timestamps:

• Committee hearing coverage: [00:57] - [01:42]

---

Georgia Election Update

Theme:
A local special election saw a new representative secure a seat at the state Capitol.

Details:

• Dentist and former school board member Jaha Howard narrowly defeated Roger Bruce.
• Howard will represent a metro Atlanta district, filling a vacancy left by Jason Estevez.

Timestamps:

• Election update: [01:42] - [02:24]

---

Homeless Service Organizations Face Funding Concerns

Theme:
Georgia’s homeless service providers are uncertain about future funding due to changes in federal housing policy and ensuing legal challenges.

Key Points:

• Traditional “housing first” models may lose support if the Trump administration’s preference for “treatment first” policies takes hold.
• Providers, such as United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, saw drastic funding cuts, severely hampering efforts to rehouse those in need, particularly domestic violence victims.

Notable Quote:

• Pat Fry, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley:

  “So our community alone was turned upside down. We went from having, you know, 1.4 million or 1.5 million to just over $500,000.” (03:00)

Timestamps:

• Housing policy segment: [02:24] - [03:18]

---

Macon Affordable Housing Project Moves Forward

Theme:
Affordable housing in Macon gets a boost as local government steps in to provide crucial funding.

Key Points:

• The Pleasant Hill Landing development will add 64 affordable units on a historic site.
• Construction was delayed for financial reasons, but the Macon-Bibb County Commission is now stepping up with direct funding.

Notable Quote:

• Mike Austin, CEO of Macon Housing Authority:

  “Be in a position to start construction and hopefully that will start in January or February of ‘26 and we’re really excited. 64 brand new units of affordable housing in Pleasant Hill so this is really the last piece of money that needs to come into place.” (04:01)

Timestamps:

• Affordable housing coverage: [03:18] - [04:15]

---

Georgia School Support and Improvement Lists

Theme:
Recent updates on school performance highlight both progress and areas needing support.

Key Points:

• Four schools exited a triennial support list; 55 exited an annual list.
• 43 schools recognized for making progress; 87 designated for targeted support.
• The designations intend to help—not stigmatize—underperforming schools.

Timestamps:

• School support details: [04:15] - [04:58]

---

Major Layoffs at QUAD Printing Plant

Theme:
Significant job losses mark a difficult economic trend in Upson County.

Key Points:

• QUAD, a commercial printing business, will close its Thomaston plant, eliminating 240 jobs.
• Statewide layoffs for the year surpass 15,000—double the previous two-year average.

Timestamps:

• Layoff coverage: [04:58] - [05:25]

---

Purchasing Power Varies Across Georgia

Theme:
How far does a dollar go in different parts of Georgia?

Key Insights:

• Non-metro areas stretch $100 to an equivalent of $115 in goods or services.
• Metro Atlanta is priciest in-state: $100 gets you $99 worth.
• This is still more purchasing power than in large cities across California, New York, and Florida.

Timestamps:

• Purchasing power: [05:25] - [06:45]

---

Avoiding Holiday Scams: Expert Advice from the FBI

Theme:
With the holiday season in high gear, state and federal officials urge Georgia consumers to stay vigilant against holiday scams.

Key Discussion Points:

• FBI Special Agent Daniel Polk explains the prevalence of scams targeting holiday shoppers—often through fake ads and spoofed sites on social media.
• Scams have become extremely sophisticated, with scammers preying on generosity during the holidays and even executing extended “long con” relationship-based scams, often targeting seniors.

Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Polk:

  “It is a $50 billion industry year over year. … My mom just the other day was on Instagram. She saw an ad for a dress that she really wanted from a brand that she trusted, looked like the dress was 80% off. … She tapped that ad … money was gone. Dress never shows.” (07:45) “If you believe you’ve fallen for one of these scams, the first thing you need to do is go to ic3.gov—think of that almost as 911.” (08:45) “What I’m alarmed by … is I’m seeing what I would call the long con where … parents and grandparents … will develop friendships … online with some of these scammers. … They end up giving away what turns out to be their life savings.” (10:05) “When I think about the holidays, this is a time when we’re really trying to be generous, philanthropic, kind, and scammers will recognize that and they prey upon our best instincts.” (00:26 & 10:05)

Advice & Resources:

• Report scams quickly at ic3.gov; acting within 48-72 hours increases chances of recovering lost funds.
• The FBI offers an educational resource (“HolidayTalk”) for families to discuss scams and stay alert: FBI.gov HolidayTalk

Timestamps:

• Holiday scam discussion: [07:08] - [10:57]

---

Memorable Moments

• Fani Willis’s forceful rebuttal to the Senate committee (01:11)
• Personal scam anecdote from FBI Agent Polk about his mother (07:45)
• Recommendations for family holiday conversations around scam prevention (08:45)

---

Episode Highlights

• Accountability and Transparency: Fani Willis’s hearing underscores political tensions around election investigations.
• Social Services Under Strain: Homeless services and affordable housing face funding and policy hurdles.
• Consumer Vigilance: FBI and state officials jointly warn Georgians about prevalent and sophisticated scams during the holiday season.

For Further Information

• Visit GPB News for the latest reports and detailed local coverage.

---

This summary captures all substantive topics from the episode, excluding advertisements and non-content sections.

Transcript

[A]

Hello and welcome to Georgia Today. On this podcast, we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. Coming up on this episode, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testifies before a state Senate committee. Georgia homeless service organizations have concerns about funding and state officials want consumers to shop safely and avoid scams this holiday season.

[B]

When I think about the holidays, this is a time when we're really trying to be generous, philanthropic, kind and scammers will recognize that and they prey upon our best instincts.

[A]

Today is Wednesday, December 17th. I'm Orlando Montoya and this is Georgia Today. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis defended her record during a tense hearing in front of a state Senate committee investigating her today. GPB's Sarah Kallas reports.

[C]

Senators on the predominantly Republican committee questioned Willis about her decision to hire a special prosecutor she also had a relationship with to prosecute an election interference case involving President Donald Trump and others. Willis did not back down.

[D]

You all want to intimidate people from doing the right thing and you think that you're going to intimidate me. You all have been trying to intimidate me for five years.

[C]

Willis's attorney, former governor Roy Barnes, called the questioning a witch hunt, but Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch says, I believe.

[A]

She owes it to the taxpayers and to the citizens of Fulton county to answer the questions.

[C]

The committee also questioned Willis about her office structure and how her staff is paid during the hours long meeting. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis at the state Capitol.

[A]

A dentist and former Cobb county school board member is heading to the state Capitol after narrowly defeating a fellow Democrat in a special election runoff yesterday. Jaha Howard will represent a metro Atlanta district that includes parts of Cobb and Fulton counties. He defeated former state Representative Roger Bruce for the seat formerly held by State Senator Jason Estevez, who resigned his post in September to focus on his campaign for governor. Homeless service organizations in Georgia are unsure about what funding they'll have next year to help people into housing, and GPB's Grant Blankenship reports their concerns come as a challenge to a new Department of Housing and Urban Development policy works its way through the courts.

[E]

Many of the homeless service providers who rely on money from HUD use what's called a supportive housing model. It's where a roof comes before services like mental health care or substance abuse recovery. The Trump administration wants to flip the script to support more transitional housing treatment first, roof later. Pat Fry of the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley in Columbus says the changes derailed their work, mostly focused on rehousing domestic violence victims and their families.

[D]

So our community alone was turned upside down. We went from having, you know, 1.4 million or 1.5 million to just over $500,000.

[E]

The next hearing in a lawsuit against HUD by mostly Northern states attorneys general is Friday. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship.

[A]

Meanwhile, construction of a new affordable housing development in Macon is slated to begin in early 2026 with a substantial push from local government. Pleasant Hill Landing will occupy a lot that once housed two different schools in Macon's historically black Pleasant Hill neighborhood. Demolition at the site occurred just over a year ago, but construction was paused while finances came together. The Macon Housing Authority had sought $1.4 million in federal low income housing tax credits to kick off construction. Instead, the Macon Bibb County Commission will provide that funding directly to the authority. Macon Housing Authority CEO Mike Austin we'll.

[F]

Be in a position to start construction and hopefully that will start in January or February of 26 and we're really excited. 64 brand new units of affordable housing in Pleasant Hill so this is really the last piece of money that needs to come into place.

[A]

The state's most recent assessment of Georgia's housing needs shows the state has about half as many affordable rental units as it needs. The Georgia Department of Education has released its lists of schools coming on and off designations for support and improvement for the 20242025 school year. The lists, published yesterday determine public schools targeted for extra support based on underperforming metrics. Four schools were able to exit a list created every three years, while 55 were able to exit a list created Every year. 43 were designated as making progress, while 87 were designated as needing targeted support. State School Superintendent Richard woods said the designations are not to label or define schools, but to make sure they have the right support in place. The department's release highlighted several schools that made progress, including schools in Fannin, Jefferson and Macon Bibb counties and how they did so. A Middle Georgia commercial printing and marketing services provider is closing its plant after three decades in Upson County. Thomaston based QUAD told state officials yesterday the closure will impact 240. This brings the total number of announced layoffs in Georgia this year to more than 15,000, twice as many as the state averaged over the last two years. How far does a $100 bill get you in Georgia? That depends on where you live, according to a purchasing power report published this week by the Right Leaning Policy nonprofit Tax foundation. Based on 2023 data from the US Bureau of Economic analysis. The group says the state's non metropolitan areas get the greatest amount for that. Benjamin about $115. That's not far off from the purchasing power in the Albany and Valdosta metro areas. No surprise, the state's most expensive region is Metro Atlanta, where $100 buys about $99 worth of goods and services. But that's still close to 100 and about 15% more than in large California, New York and Florida, cities that dominate the most expensive list.

[G]

How does AI even work? Where does creativity come from? What's the secret to living longer? TED Radio Hour explores the biggest questions with some of the world's greatest thinkers. They will surprise, challenge, and even change you. Listen to NPR's TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts.

[A]

State officials are encouraging consumers to shop safely this holiday season. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger both issued alerts recently warning Georgians about holiday scams. And here to talk about the federal response to those scams is FBI Atlanta Division Special Agent Daniel Polk. Welcome to gpb.

[B]

Thank you for having me.

[A]

Well, the Better Business Bureau recently published a list, the 12 scams of Christmas, playing on the 12 days of Christmas. But scammers don't take a day off. What kind of scams should people watch out for, especially around the holidays?

[B]

You're right, they don't take any days off. It is a $50 billion industry year over year. And what we do see is some seasonality to this. So when we think about the holidays, there's obviously a lot of shopping. My mom just the other day was on Instagram. She saw an ad for a dress that she really wanted from a brand that she trusted, looked like the dress was 80% off. She tapped that ad in Instagram right there on her feed, took her to what looked like a legitimate site right there in the app, connected her PayPal money was gone. Dress never shows. And what we're seeing is over the holidays, scammers recognize that we're all trying to buy these gifts. And we're we're seeing a lot of paid promoted ads that are malicious, designed to entice you to give that credit card information, but it is in fact designed to steal from you.

[A]

People's bank accounts are tied to their credit cards. What are the best ways to keep those safe? And what should you do if you realize you've fallen for one of these scams?

[B]

So if you believe you've fallen for one of these scams, the first thing you need to do is go to ic3.gov think of that almost as 911 and IC3 stands for the Internet Crime Complaint Center. And if you go to ic3.gov you're going to be able to report what happened. And if you do that within about 48 hours to 72 hours, a tight window, we work with the banking sector to freeze those funds and get you your money back. If it's been some time since the money's left the door, still go ahead and report it. And we look to still build cases to go after these scammers. One resource we're putting out there is FBI.gov HolidayTalk and it's a resource designed to give about a 10 minute video for you to have a conversation specifically with your parents and grandparents about scams this holiday season. So my hope is is that we can start a new holiday tradition with our loved ones. And that's just talk about scams.

[A]

Georgia Secretary of state's office says in one recent case, a Georgia charity's email system was compromised and a scammer posed as its executive, telling a staff member to purchase thousands of dollars in gift cards using the group's credit card before a vigilant cashier questioned the transaction and uncovered the fraud. Does that kind of case highlight the sophistication that scammers can present?

[B]

I think it highlights both the sophistication and the cruelty. Orlando to be honest, when I think about the holidays, this is a time when we're really trying to be generous, philanthropic, kind, and scammers will recognize that and they prey upon our best instincts. What I'm alarmed by outside of, you know, charities that are being attacked through their own types of phishing schemes is I'm seeing what I would call the long con where, you know, parents and grandparents of ours will develop relationships, friendships that start casual and natural online with some of these scammers. But they believe they're talking to a soldier who's overseas and they end up giving, you know, trying to be helpful and kind to help that individual out who might be in need when in fact they're giving away what turns out to be their life savings to somebody who's trying to scam them and prey upon the desire to be charitable.

[A]

That is FBI Atlanta Division Special Agent Daniel Polk. Thank you for coming to our studio. And that's it for today's edition of GEORGIA today. Find the latest reports from our GPB News [e-mail] Georgia News. Also, we're on social media. Follow us PBNews on Facebook and Instagram you can send us feedback to Georgia todaypb.org and hit subscribe on this podcast if you haven't done so already. That'll help you keep us current in your feed. And I'll be back with you again tomorrow as Peter Biello continues to be on vacation this week. If you're on your vacation enjoying us while you're away, keeping up with the Georgia News while you're on vacation, thanks very much. And wherever you are, thanks for listening to Georgia Today.

[G]

How does AI even work? Where does creativity come from? What's the secret to living longer? TED Radio Hour explores the biggest questions with some of the world's greatest thinkers. They will surprise, challenge, and even change you. Listen to NPR's TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts.