Jones is one of 16 fake Trump electors who signed the “unofficial voter certificate” in a plan to subvert the Electoral College in the 2020 election.
Jones is currently running for lieutenant governor in Georgia against Democrat Charlie Bailey. Willis organized a fundraiser for Bailey last month and donated to her primary campaign earlier this year.
In his ruling, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney said Willis’ office can “ask witnesses about the senator’s role in the various efforts that the state Republican party made to question the legitimacy of the election results. That may not be his job. What he is doing is securing that evidence to build a case against the senator.”
“It’s a ‘What are you thinking’ moment,” McBurney said. “The optics are horrible.”
The Georgia Board of Attorneys will select a replacement district attorney’s office that can question Jones, according to Georgia law.
Willis’ office and a spokesman for Jones did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Jones, in a tweet, called the ruling a “BIG victory for our campaign, but more importantly, for due process and the rule of law in Georgia.” Her attorneys had argued that Willis’ political actions should disqualify her and suggested she ask the Georgia attorney general to appoint a new district attorney to oversee the case.
Willis’ attorney had said in court filings that his political support for Bailey’s campaign provides no basis for disqualification or poses a conflict of interest in overseeing the grand jury. Last week, Willis’ attorney emphasized that the district attorney’s political actions were within the law.
McBurney also said last week that he would not quash any subpoenas for 11 of the “bogus voters” who are part of the criminal investigation and would allow the parties to work out a framework with the Fulton County district attorney’s office regarding his appearance before the grand jury and potentially invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.
CNN previously reported that court documents filed last week revealed that Willis had reported that the 16 fake Trump voters could be charged in his investigation.
This story was updated Monday with additional details.
CNN’s Chandelis Duster contributed to this report.