Trump's Last Criminal Case Resurrected in Georgia
The only active criminal prosecution against former President Donald Trump has been dramatically revived after Georgia's top prosecutorial official stepped in to take control of the high-stakes election interference case.
Pete Skandalakis, a Republican who serves as executive director of Georgia's Prosecuting Attorneys' Council, announced on Friday that he would personally assume responsibility for the case following the removal of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
The Long Road to This Decision
This development marks a crucial turning point for the landmark case, which had been teetering on the brink of collapse since September when the Georgia Supreme Court disqualified Willis. The court ruled that her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade created an unacceptable appearance of conflict of interest.
In his official statement, Skandalakis revealed his decision came after multiple prosecutors declined to take on the politically charged case. "Several prosecutors were contacted and, while all were respectful and professional, each declined the appointment," he wrote.
The case stems from a sweeping indictment handed down by an Atlanta grand jury in August 2023, which charged Trump and 18 associates under Georgia's anti-racketeering law. The charges allege a coordinated scheme to overturn Trump's narrow 2020 election loss to Joe Biden in Georgia.
Race Against Time to Save the Case
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee had set a firm deadline of 14 November for Skandalakis to find a new prosecutor or face the case being dismissed entirely. With time running out and no willing prosecutors coming forward, Skandalakis made the unprecedented move to appoint himself.
"While it would have been simple to allow Judge McAfee's deadline to lapse or to inform the Court that no conflict prosecutor could be secured–thereby allowing the case to be dismissed for want of prosecution–I did not believe that to be the right course of action," Skandalakis explained.
He emphasized that the public has a legitimate interest in seeing the case properly resolved, noting that he only received the complete investigative file from Fulton County prosecutors last week. His immediate priority will be conducting a "comprehensive review" before deciding how to proceed.
Key Players and Previous Controversies
The case represents the final criminal proceeding against Trump, though he remains protected from state-level prosecution while serving as president. However, fourteen other defendants still face potential trial, including prominent figures such as:
- Mark Meadows, Trump's former chief of staff
- Rudy Giuliani, former New York mayor and Trump attorney
Notably, this isn't the first time Skandalakis has been called upon to resolve conflicts in this case. Previously, he declined to press charges against Burt Jones, who served as one of Georgia's "alternate" GOP electors during the 2020 election dispute and is now Georgia's lieutenant governor.
Four defendants have already pleaded guilty in the case, while Trump and the remaining co-defendants maintain their not guilty pleas. The outcome of Skandalakis's review will determine whether this last criminal case against the former president moves forward or meets its final conclusion.
