Georgia Election Interference Case Against Trump and Co-Defendants Dismissed by Prosecutor Skandalakis

Atlanta, Georgia – The sprawling Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants has been officially dismissed. Pete Skandalakis, Executive Director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, who took over the prosecution, filed a motion to drop all charges, which Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee swiftly granted. This decision effectively ends the last criminal case against Trump related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

Skandalakis assumed leadership of the case after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified due to an "appearance of impropriety" stemming from her romantic relationship with a special prosecutor she had hired. In his detailed filing, Skandalakis outlined several reasons for his decision, stating that the case was "without precedent" and that pursuing it against a sitting president would be unrealistic and impractical for the citizens of Georgia, potentially dragging on for years.

The prosecutor also expressed concerns regarding the legal theories underpinning the indictment, particularly the application of racketeering (RICO) charges to certain actions. He suggested that the federal investigation led by Special Counsel Jack Smith was a more appropriate venue for many of the alleged actions. Skandalakis noted that some charges, such as those related to statements made to the Georgia Legislature, could have a "chilling effect on witnesses" and raised "serious constitutional questions" regarding free speech.

The case originated from an investigation initiated by Fani Willis into alleged attempts to influence Georgia's 2020 election, notably including a recorded January 2021 phone call where Trump urged Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" enough votes. While Skandalakis acknowledged the indictment alleged a "compelling set of acts," he concluded that the complexities and timeline made further prosecution untenable. Four co-defendants had previously pleaded guilty in connection with the case.

The dismissal follows similar actions at the federal level, where special counsel Jack Smith dropped two cases against Trump after his re-election, citing a longstanding Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president. Despite the dismissal of charges, Skandalakis emphasized in his filing that the 2020 election results were valid and did not lend credence to Trump's claims of voter fraud.