In a development concerning the ongoing investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, a special prosecutor has been assigned to determine if Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones should face criminal charges. The Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia announced on Thursday that its executive director, Pete Skandalakis, will oversee the inquiry. This decision comes after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was barred from prosecuting Jones as part of her election interference case against former President Donald Trump and others.

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones was one of 16 state Republicans who signed a certificate asserting that Trump had won Georgia and declaring themselves as the state's "duly elected and qualified" electors, despite Democrat Joe Biden being declared the winner in the state. Additionally, Jones, who was serving as a state senator at the time, had sought a special session of Georgia's Legislature aimed at overturning Biden's narrow victory in Georgia.

Jones argued that Willis should not be able to pursue charges against him due to her hosting a fundraiser for his Democratic opponent in the lieutenant governor's race. In July 2022, Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled that Willis' actions had created an "actual and untenable" conflict of interest. As a result, the decision to appoint a prosecutor to determine whether Jones should be charged was left to the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council, a nonpartisan state agency that supports district attorneys.

Initially, Pete Skandalakis, the executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council, had expressed his intention to find an appropriate prosecutor for the case. However, he has now decided to take on the role himself. The statement announcing Skandalakis' appointment cited state bar rules and indicated that no further comments would be made at this time.

Jones has consistently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he and the other electors were acting on the advice of lawyers to preserve Trump's chances if the former president won a pending court challenge. Alongside Trump, three other individuals who signed the Republican elector certificate were indicted in August by a Fulton County grand jury. They were accused of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally overturn Trump's loss in Georgia. Four individuals have already pleaded guilty after reaching deals with prosecutors. Trump and the remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty, and a trial date has yet to be set.

In response to the news of Skandalakis' appointment, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones expressed his satisfaction, stating, "I'm happy to see this process move forward and look forward to the opportunity to get this charade behind me. Fani Willis has made a mockery of this legal process, as she tends to do. I look forward to a quick resolution and moving forward with the business of the state of Georgia."

As this important investigation continues, all eyes will be on the developments surrounding Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and the legal process that lies ahead.