Georgia Judge Dismisses Racketeering Case Against Trump and Allies After Special Prosecutor Abandons Charges

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Wednesday dismissed the state's racketeering indictment against former President Donald Trump and more than a dozen co-defendants after Peter Skandalakis, who stepped in after District Attorney Fani Willis was removed from the case, moved to abandon the prosecution "to serve the interests of justice and promote judicial finality."

Skandalakis filed a brief motion saying the overt acts detailed in the indictment "are not acts I would consider sufficient" to sustain a state racketeering (RICO) charge. He added that, after reviewing the evidence, a federal prosecution would be a more appropriate avenue and described the case pursued by then–special counsel Jack Smith as the "strongest and most prosecutable" option against those accused of seeking to overturn the 2020 election results.

What the order says

Judge McAfee issued a one-paragraph order dismissing the indictment "in its entirety" shortly after Skandalakis notified the court he would not proceed with the case. The dismissal ends the Georgia prosecution that had been brought by a Fulton County grand jury in August 2023 and accused Mr. Trump and 18 associates of coordinating a scheme to block certification of Georgia's 2020 results.

Reactions

Trump's lead attorney in the state case, Steve Sadow, welcomed the move, calling the prosecution "political persecution" and saying a "fair and impartial prosecutor has put an end to this lawfare." Mr. Trump said the case was an "illegal, unconstitutional and un-American hoax" and posted on social media that "LAW and JUSTICE have prevailed in the Great State of Georgia."

Ted Goodman, a spokesperson for Rudy Giuliani, hailed the dismissal as a "complete repudiation" of the claims that led to Giuliani's disbarment and called for restoration of his client's law license.

Case background

The Georgia indictment originally charged Mr. Trump with multiple state felony counts under the state's racketeering statute. Several counts had been dismissed previously; the former president pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. Four co-defendants ultimately accepted plea deals.

The Fulton County prosecution progressed more slowly than other criminal matters involving Mr. Trump and was interrupted for months by revelations about a romantic relationship between DA Fani Willis and Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she had hired. Willis and Wade acknowledged the relationship but said it began after Wade's hiring. A multi-day hearing examined whether Willis had a conflict of interest; Judge McAfee initially declined to disqualify Willis but required Wade to step aside. That decision was later reversed by the Georgia Court of Appeals, which concluded disqualifying Willis was necessary to restore public confidence. The Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear Willis's appeal, leaving her removal in place.

Broader legal context

The Georgia case was one of several prosecutions involving Mr. Trump across multiple jurisdictions. Two separate federal prosecutions led by Special Counsel Jack Smith addressed alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 results and mishandling of classified materials. A Manhattan prosecution related to alleged pre-2016 hush-money payments resulted in a conviction on state business-records charges in June 2024; Mr. Trump has appealed that verdict.

With the Fulton County indictment dismissed, prosecutors and defense teams will weigh next steps. Skandalakis suggested the federal venue may remain the most viable path for any continuing legal exposure related to events surrounding the 2020 election.