[ATTW-L] the Fani Willis letter to Jim Jordan

[Dragga, Sam]

For a timely example of a letter reporting a negative decision, consider the letter issued this morning by Georgia District Attorney Fani T. Willis in which she rejects a request by U.S. Representative Jim Jordan (as chair of the House Judiciary Committee) for information regarding the indictment of 19 individuals (including Donald Trump) for crimes related to the 2020 election in Georgia.

The letter is available at https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/23941366-jim-jordan-letter/

Note that Willis organizes the nine-page letter with headings and subheadings that are complete sentences (e.g., “Your letter improperly interferes with the administration of criminal justice.”), essentially creating its abstract.

Note also that Willis dismisses the practice usually advised for negative news messages about always trying to be polite: Willis focuses on being clear, direct, and unequivocal. This offers multiple opportunities for students to discuss the letter’s choices about wording and phrasing as well as the information included.  Students might also try composing a “more polite” letter and thereafter analyze which version would likely make the greater contribution to the cause of justice in Georgia.

Sam

Sam Dragga
Professor Emeritus
Texas Tech University
sam.dragga at ttu.edu
1-806-543-6099

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