President Donald Trump is once again facing legal turbulence in Georgia as state prosecutors move to revive the long-stalled criminal investigation into his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
The case, once viewed as Trump’s most serious criminal exposure, had been effectively on ice for months. But a sudden shift last week has pushed it back into the national spotlight — and it could carry major consequences for several of Trump’s allies.
Case Reawakens After Months of Silence
Trump was originally indicted in 2023 under Georgia’s anti-racketeering laws for allegedly pressuring officials to replace legitimate electoral votes with fake certificates in an effort to swing the election. Prosecutors accused Trump of trying to use then–Vice President Mike Pence to unlawfully toss out certified results.
Momentum halted earlier this year after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis admitted she had been in a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she appointed to lead the case. That revelation triggered her removal and brought the sprawling prosecution to a standstill.
Now, the investigation has been handed to Peter Skandalakis, head of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia. His office announced Friday that he will take control of the case — a move legal observers say breathes new life into charges many assumed were effectively dead.
Trump May Be Protected — His Allies May Not
While Trump himself may be insulated from state prosecution while serving as president, the dozens of figures tied to the alleged fake electors scheme are not. Legal analysts say Skandalakis’ decision not to let the case quietly expire signals that several co-defendants could still face state-level criminal jeopardy.
Trump’s recent federal pardons for those involved in the fake elector effort also do not automatically wipe away state charges — and may only apply narrowly.
“Even if some charges are tossed, other portions of the indictment would still stand,” one analyst noted, meaning multiple Trump allies remain at risk.
A National Pattern Emerges
Georgia is not alone in rekindling prosecutions tied to the 2020 fake electors plot:
- Nevada’s Supreme Court ruled last week that its case can proceed.
- Arizona could advance its charges unless the attorney general appeals within days.
- Wisconsin continues its own proceedings against three former Trump campaign officials.
- Michigan’s case, however, was dismissed.
This coordinated movement across states could complicate Trump’s insistence that the 2020 investigations are politically motivated or overblown.
2023 Indictment Still Looms Large
Georgia’s original indictment — alleging Trump and 18 others engaged in a sweeping conspiracy to flip the state’s election — remains one of the most extensive election interference cases ever brought. Even with delays and leadership shake-ups, several charges still stand.
Skandalakis has not indicated when the next major step in the revived case will occur, but the fact that he chose to take control rather than allow the case to die is viewed as a significant development.
Legal experts say it signals the state is not ready to close the book on efforts to reverse the 2020 results — and that the president’s co-defendants may soon find themselves back in court.