Council Director Skandalakis Steps In After Long Search
The high-profile election interference case against Donald Trump in Georgia has a new lead prosecutor. Peter J. Skandalakis, Executive Director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia, announced Friday that he will take over the case after efforts to find an outside replacement for disqualified District Attorney Fani Willis fell short. Skandalakis made the decision himself after multiple prosecutors, though professional and respectful, declined the appointment by the court-set deadline.
What’s Next for the Historic Case
Skandalakis now holds authority over how the case moves forward, with options to continue on Willis’s path, narrow the list of charges, or even dismiss parts of the sprawling indictment entirely. The case file is massive—reportedly more than 100 banker boxes and an 8-terabyte hard drive—so Skandalakis emphasized he will take time to complete a thorough review before deciding how to proceed.
Background: Disqualification After Ethics Controversy
Willis brought nationwide attention in 2023 when she used Georgia’s anti-racketeering law (RICO) to indict Trump and 18 others for allegedly scheming to overturn the 2020 election outcome in Georgia. The plot allegedly included Trump urging Georgia’s Secretary of State to “find” votes to flip the result. Four defendants, including attorneys Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis, have already pleaded guilty.
But defense attorneys raised ethics concerns over Willis’s romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the lead special prosecutor. After months of legal wrangling, a Georgia appeals court finally removed Willis from the case, citing an “appearance of impropriety.”
Legal and Political Stakes Remain High
While any prosecution against Trump himself is unlikely to proceed while he holds office, 14 defendants—such as Mark Meadows and Rudy Giuliani—are still facing charges. Trump’s recent announcements about pardoning his allies have no effect on these state-level prosecutions.
The case’s outcome will shape legal and political debates nationwide as Skandalakis reviews the evidence, weighs the future of the prosecution, and determines the next steps for one of the country’s most closely watched criminal cases.