ATLANTA (AP) — A veteran prosecutor has declared he will assume the Georgia election interference case concerning President Donald Trump and other individuals, following the disqualification of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and the absence of any other candidates for the role.
TL;DR
- Pete Skandalakis will prosecute the Georgia election case after Fani Willis was disqualified.
- Skandalakis, a veteran prosecutor, will not receive extra pay for handling the case.
- The case involves Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and thirteen other defendants.
- Skandalakis will review the extensive evidence and determine the next steps for the prosecution.
The nonpartisan Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia was tasked with replacing Willis after she was disqualified over an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she’d chosen to lead the case. The organization’s executive director, Pete Skandalakis, said Friday that he would take the case on himself.
“Several prosecutors were contacted and, while all were respectful and professional, each declined the appointment,” Skandalakis said in an emailed statement.
While legal action against Trump is improbable during his presidency, fourteen other individuals remain charged. These defendants include former New York mayor and Trump counsel Rudy Giuliani, alongside ex-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Earlier this week, Trump made a statement announced pardons regarding individuals accused of supporting his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, which encompasses those indicted in Georgia. However, Skandalakis has indicated that this statement has no influence on the state-level charges.
How Skandalakis ended up with the case
Following the Georgia Supreme Court's September refusal to consider Willis’ appeal regarding her disqualification, the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council was tasked with appointing a new prosecutor. Skandalakis has the discretion to uphold Willis' prosecution strategy, selectively pursue certain charges, or drop the case entirely.
He stated he could have ignored the deadline or informed the court that no legal representative was present, resulting in the case's dismissal, but he opted against that, which was “the right course of action.”
“The public has a legitimate interest in the outcome of this case,” he wrote. “Accordingly, it is important that someone make an informed and transparent determination about how best to proceed.”
Skandalakis stated that Willis's office provided 101 boxes of documents on October 29th and an eight-terabyte hard drive containing the complete investigative file on November 6th. While his review isn't finished, he accepted the case to finalize his assessment and determine the subsequent steps.
Steve Sadow, who is leading Trump's legal defense in Georgia, expressed certainty that “fair and impartial review” will result in the charges against his client being dropped.
“This politically charged prosecution has to come to an end,” he said in an email.
Allyn Stockton, who represents Giuliani, described Skandalakis’ ruling as “interesting twist,”, while also stating, “everything I know about Mr. Skandalakis is that he is a fair minded and honorable man who is void of any political agenda.”
A spokesperson for Willis declined to comment, deferring to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council.
Skandalakis, who has headed the small, nonpartisan council since 2018, stated in his filing that he won't receive additional compensation for the case, with Fulton County covering expenses. He previously served approximately 25 years as the elected Republican district attorney for The Coweta Judicial Circuit, located southwest of Atlanta.
“I doubt anything will ever move forward with the president,” Georgia State University law professor Anthony Michael Kreis said, noting that Skandalakis’ appointment is temporary and charges can’t proceed against Trump while he’s in office.
Regarding the president's co-defendants, Kreis stated that the council's resources are limited, which “may lead to a simplification of the case or plea deals.”
How the case unraveled for Willis
In August 2023, Willis unveiled the extensive indictment targeting Trump and 18 others, employing the state's anti-racketeering law to assert a broad conspiracy aimed at unlawfully reversing Trump's narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia.
Defense attorneys sought Willis’ removal after one revealed in January 2024 that Willis had a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. The defense attorneys alleged a conflict of interest and said Willis profited from the case when Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations the pair took.
During an extraordinary hearing the next month, Willis and Wade testified about their relationship’s intimate details, saying the romance didn’t begin until after Wade was hired and that they split the costs for vacations and other outings.
Judge Scott McAfee criticized Willis regarding a “tremendous lapse in judgment” but determined there was no disqualifying conflict of interest, stating the case could proceed if Wade resigned, which he did she could stay on hours after the ruling which he did.
Defense lawyers lodged an appeal, and the Georgia Court of Appeals removed Willis from the case in December 2024, referencing a “appearance of impropriety.” The state's highest court declined to hear Willis’ appeal.
Skandalakis’ earlier role in the case against Trump
Skandalakis has a prior connection to this case. Prior to Willis securing an indictment, a judge issued an order barred her from seeking criminal charges concerning Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who was among 16 state Republicans that certified Trump's victory in Georgia and claimed to be the state's “duly elected and qualified” electors.
Following the election, Senator Jones also pursued a special legislative session aimed at reversing Biden's victory.
As Willis investigated, Jones argued she had a conflict of interest because she hosted a fundraiser for his Democratic opponent in the lieutenant governor’s race. Judge Robert McBurney ruled in July 2022 that Willis’ actions created an “actual and untenable” conflict of interest.
Skandalakis appointed himself to handle that issue as well and ultimately chose not to pursue charges against Jones.