Georgia Election Case Gets New Prosecutor as DA Faces Disqualification
ATLANTA, GA – A new prosecutor has been appointed to oversee the Georgia election interference case involving former President Donald trump and 14 co-defendants, following the disqualification of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Peter skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, has appointed himself to the case, stating he needed to ”proceed” with a full assessment.
The move comes after scrutiny surrounding Willis’ relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, which led to allegations of improper conduct. While a judge did not disqualify Willis outright, she was directed to remove Wade from the case, prompting Skandalakis’ decision to take direct control.
Skandalakis emphasized he has not yet completed his review of the case, citing the substantial volume of evidence: “101 boxes of documents and an 8-terabyte hard drive” received from Willis’ office. “By taking on the case, I can finish assessing it and decide what to do next,” he said.
The case centers around allegations that Trump and his allies attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Fourteen co-defendants, including Rudy Giuliani and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, remain charged, despite Trump recently issuing pardons to individuals involved in related federal efforts – pardons which do not affect state-level charges.
Trump’s attorney, Steve Sadow, released a statement: “This politically charged prosecution has to come to an end. We remain confident that a fair and impartial review will lead to a dismissal of the case against President Trump.”
Allyn Stockton, attorney for Giuliani, described Skandalakis’ self-appointment as an “fascinating twist,” but added, ”Everything I know about Mr.Skandalakis is that he is a fair minded and honorable man who is void of any political agenda.”
Skandalakis is familiar with aspects of the Trump election controversy, having previously investigated Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who acted as a “fake elector” for Trump. He ultimately declined to pursue charges against jones, citing a lack of criminal intent.
Legal experts suggest that prosecution of Trump himself is unlikely while he remains President.Georgia State university law professor Anthony Michael Kreis noted the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council’s limited resources, suggesting the case “may lead to a simplification of the case or plea deals for the other defendants.”
Skandalakis has led the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council as 2018 and previously served as an elected Republican district attorney for the Coweta Judicial Circuit for 25 years. He will not receive additional pay for taking on the case, with Fulton County covering expenses.