Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
The sprawling racketeering indictment case against President Donald Trump and several allies, stemming from their efforts to overturn his 2020 electoral defeat in Georgia, will proceed under the direction of a new prosecutor, Peter Skandalakis. The development, finalized this week, follows the disqualification of former Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the high-profile case.
Skandalakis, who serves as the director of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia, confirmed his appointment Friday morning after an administrative order was filed. He indicated that he assumed responsibility for the case due to an inability to secure another conflict prosecutor, as several contacted individuals declined the appointment.
The historic state racketeering charges were initially filed on August 14, 2023, by Willis, an elected Democrat. Her investigation into Trump’s alleged interference in the Georgia election commenced in early 2021, shortly after a phone call became public in which Trump reportedly pressured Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” votes.
Willis was removed from the case after a protracted legal battle concerning a romantic relationship she had with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she had hired. While a lower court initially allowed her to continue if Wade stepped down in March 2024, a Georgia appeals court paused proceedings in June 2024 and officially disqualified her in December 2024. The Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear her appeal in September.
Despite the case’s continuation, its future progression remains uncertain. Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead Georgia attorney, stated that this “politically charged prosecution has to come to an end” and expressed confidence that a fair review would lead to a dismissal of the charges against Trump.
The Indictment and Co-Defendants
Trump was charged alongside 18 co-defendants on sweeping charges utilizing the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), a state law similar to the federal statute used against criminal enterprises. Prosecutors alleged that Trump and his allies “joined a conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome” of the 2020 election in Georgia.
Among the co-defendants were former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani. Four of the 19 defendants, including three attorneys involved in Trump’s efforts, accepted plea deals, pleading guilty to felony charges in exchange for more lenient sentencing recommendations. Additionally, 30 “unindicted co-conspirators” were named in the case.
The defendants have consistently denied any wrongdoing, with some arguing they were attempting to rectify what they believed were serious irregularities that impacted the 2020 election results. Trump himself surrendered in the Atlanta jail in August 2023, where he provided a mug shot.
The Georgia election interference case will now navigate its complex legal path under new prosecutorial leadership, continuing a significant legal challenge for President Trump and his associates.
