After failing to find a single attorney willing to take over Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ embattled 2020 election case, the head of Georgia’s Prosecuting Attorneys Council appointed himself to avoid a full dismissal.
The move followed a disqualification ruling against Willis after it was revealed she had appointed her romantic partner, Nathan Wade, as a special prosecutor in the case and benefited personally from the arrangement. Defense attorneys had long argued that Willis awarded Wade a lucrative contract while vacationing with him using funds from the case.
Peter Skandalakis, Executive Director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia (PACGA), announced the decision on the November 14 deadline. Skandalakis stated he had contacted several prosecutors, all of whom declined the appointment. Without a new lead attorney, the case was at risk of being dismissed for lack of prosecution.
Skandalakis cited public interest in the outcome and stated that, despite the difficulty in filling the position, he would take responsibility himself and complete a full review of the case before determining next steps.
Willis had falsely claimed that all special prosecutors were paid the same hourly rate, though documents later showed Wade was paid more than the state’s top racketeering expert. Her conduct triggered scrutiny and calls for dismissal of the entire case, especially from defense counsel representing President Trump.
President Trump’s lead Georgia attorney, Steve Sadow, stated that the politically motivated prosecution should be ended and expressed confidence that an impartial review would result in dismissal.
The case itself stems from allegations that President Trump and others sought to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. With the original prosecutor removed, and no replacement willing to take the case, the self-appointment underscores the growing uncertainty and fragility of the legal proceedings.
