(The Center Square) – The executive director of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia appointed himself to handle a case involving President Donald Trump after other prosecutors declined to take it.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified from prosecuting the election interference case against Trump and others after it was revealed she had a romantic relationship with the lead prosecutor, Nathan Wade.
Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee gave the prosecuting attorney’s council until Friday to make an appointment. Peter Skandalakis, the executive director of the organization, said he consulted with several prosecutors before deciding to handle the case himself.
“Out of respect for their privacy and professional discretion, I will not identify those prosecutors or disclose their reasons for declining,” he said in a statement. “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 said he just received the investigative file from the Fulton County District on Nov. 6.
“Since receiving these materials, I have diligently worked to familiarize myself with the record and the status of the proceedings,” Skandalakis said. “Additionally, I have attempted to review the evidence gathered and the hours of interviews and proffers of witnesses and former codefendants. Unfortunately, I have not had sufficient time to complete my review.”
Trump and 18 others were accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 Georgia election results, which gave the state to former President Joe Biden. Four charged — attorneys Kenneth Chesebro, Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell and bail bondsman Scott Hall — pleaded guilty to charges related to the state case, according to Fulton County Superior Court records.
The president pardoned those involved in the case last week. The pardons do not provide a shield from state prosecution, Skandalakis said.
This is a breaking story. We will have updates throughout the day.
