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Georgia prosecutor appoints himself to Trump case after Willis exit
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The top of the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council revealed Friday that he has appointed himself to take over Georgia’s election case in opposition to President Donald Trump and a number of other others, a transfer that comes after Fulton County District Lawyer Fani Willis was disqualified from doing so.
The council’s director, Peter Skandalakis, stated he would take over the case after being unable to seek out one other prosecutor to tackle the case.
“The submitting of this nomination displays my lack of ability to seek out one other battle prosecutor to take accountability for this case,” Skandalakis stated. “A number of prosecutors have been contacted and whereas all have been respectful {and professional}, all declined the appointment.”
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Fulton County District Lawyer Fani Willis on the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, March 1, 2024. (Alex Slitz/AP/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs)
Willis charged Trump and 18 co-defendants in August 2023 with racketeering and different violations involving interference with the 2020 election, however the case was considerably weakened as a result of plea offers and dismissed costs.
The most important blow to the prosecution, nevertheless, got here final yr when the Georgia Court docket of Appeals disqualified Willis, ruling that she had a secret romantic relationship along with her lead prosecutor, Nathan Wade, and that this posed a battle of curiosity. Her disqualification put the matter within the arms of the state company to resolve what to do with it.
Fulton County Particular Prosecutor Nathan Wade testifies throughout a listening to within the State of Georgia’s case in opposition to Donald Trump on the Fulton County Courthouse on February 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Alyssa Wijzer)
Legal experts had lengthy predicted that it could be troublesome to discover a new prosecutor to step in and tackle the sprawling, advanced racketeering case in opposition to Trump and his allies. Skandalakis stated he wished to do that to forestall the court docket from dismissing the costs as a result of lack of a prosecutor.
“The general public has a respectable curiosity within the consequence of this case, which is why it will be important that somebody makes an knowledgeable and clear choice on the easiest way to proceed,” Skandalakis stated.
A trial in opposition to Trump whereas he’s nonetheless president is unlikely, however a few of his co-defendants nonetheless dealing with costs, together with former White Home chief of workers Mark Meadows and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, should not have the identical sort of safety.
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President Donald Trump speaks with then-White Home Chief of Employees Mark Meadows as they go away the White Home on September 12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Picture by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
Trump this week pardoned Meadows, Giuliani and others dealing with costs associated to the 2020 election, however the president’s clemency solely applies to federal costs.
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Trump’s lawyer Steve Sadow stated in a press release that he nonetheless expects the Georgia case to be dismissed.
“This politically charged persecution should finish,” Sadow stated. “We stay assured {that a} honest and neutral evaluate will result in dismissal of the case in opposition to President Trump.”
Claudia Kelly-Bazan contributed to this report.