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New Prosecutor Appointed in Georgia Election Case After Willis Disqualification

2025-11-15

The BareStory

Peter J. Skandalakis, director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia, has appointed himself as the new prosecutor in the state's election interference case involving former President Donald Trump and more than a dozen other defendants. The appointment was made Friday, meeting a court-ordered deadline to replace former prosecutor Fani Willis. Skandalakis said he took on the role himself after several other prosecutors declined the appointment.

The case originated in August 2023 when then-District Attorney Willis of Fulton County secured a racketeering indictment against Trump and 18 others, accusing them of a scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Willis was later disqualified from the case by a state appeals court, which cited an "appearance of impropriety" and a conflict of interest over a romantic relationship she had with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she had hired.

Skandalakis stated he will now conduct a comprehensive review of the evidence before deciding how to proceed. As the prosecutor, he has the option to continue with the existing indictment, modify the charges, or dismiss the case. In a statement, an attorney for Trump, Steve Sadow, said he was confident that a fair review would lead to the case's dismissal.

Four of the original defendants have pleaded guilty. The remaining 14 defendants, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, still face charges. Recent presidential pardons issued by Trump do not affect this state-level case.

Left Perspective

  • The indictment alleges a coordinated scheme to illegally overturn an election.
  • Four of the original defendants have already pleaded guilty.
  • The case is proceeding under a new prosecutor and is unaffected by federal pardons.

Right Perspective

  • The defense is confident that a fair review of the evidence will lead to dismissal.
  • The original prosecutor was disqualified due to a conflict of interest.
  • The new prosecutor has the option to dismiss the case entirely.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• The appointment of a new prosecutor who must review the case will likely delay the start of any potential trial, affecting its timing relative to elections.

• The future of the case is now uncertain, as the new prosecutor has the authority to dismiss the charges, modify them, or proceed to trial.

• Because this is a state-level case, any convictions would not be subject to federal presidential pardons, ensuring a legal outcome independent of federal power.

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