You’ve probably heard a hundred different versions of how the Georgia election case ended. Some folks say it was a total collapse; others call it a tactical retreat. But honestly, the latest georgia rico case news isn't about the trial anymore. It's about a staggering $17 million bill and a high-stakes game of legal chicken that might just end up at the Georgia Supreme Court.
The criminal charges against Donald Trump and his co-defendants are dead. Gone. Judge Scott McAfee signed the order dismissing the whole thing in November 2025. But if you thought that was the end of the drama, you haven't been paying attention to Georgia politics. Right now, the fight has shifted from "did they do it?" to "who is going to pay for the lawyers?"
The 17 Million Dollar Headache
Basically, a bunch of the former defendants—13 of them to be exact—want their money back. And we aren't talking about small change. We're talking about $17 million in legal fees and expenses. Donald Trump’s slice of that pie alone is about $6.2 million.
They're using a brand-new Georgia law that was basically designed for this exact scenario. It says that if a prosecutor gets disqualified for "improper conduct" and the case gets dropped, the defendants can ask the county to reimburse them. Since Fani Willis and her whole office were booted off the case by the Georgia Court of Appeals, the defendants smell blood in the water.
But there’s a massive catch.
Pete Skandalakis, the guy who took over the case after Willis was sidelined, just threw a huge wrench in the works. On January 14, 2026, he filed a 14-page response that basically calls this new law "seriously and potentially unconstitutional."
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Skandalakis isn't just arguing the math. He’s arguing the logic. He says the law denies Fulton County due process because it forces the county to pay for the actions of a District Attorney—who is technically a state officer—without giving the county a real way to fight the bill. It's a mess.
Appearance vs. Reality
One of the biggest sticking points in the current georgia rico case news is a single word: "improper."
The law says you get your money back if there was "improper conduct." Skandalakis is leaning hard on the fact that the courts never actually used that word for Fani Willis. They found an "appearance of impropriety" or a "perception" of a conflict because of her relationship with Nathan Wade.
Is a "perception" of being bad the same as actually being bad? In the legal world, that's a canyon-sized gap.
If Judge McAfee decides that an "appearance" doesn't count as "improper conduct," the $17 million dream evaporates. If he decides it does count, Fulton County taxpayers are looking at a bill that could gut local budgets for schools and infrastructure.
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What Actually Happened to the Case?
Let's back up for a second because people forget how we got here.
The RICO case was once the "big one." It had the mugshot. It had the 19 defendants. It had the infamous phone call to Brad Raffensperger. But it started to rot from the inside out the moment that romantic relationship between Willis and Wade came to light.
By late 2025, it was on life support. The Georgia Supreme Court refused to let Willis back on the case in September. When Skandalakis took over, he looked at the mountain of evidence and the reality of trying a sitting President in a state court and basically said, "No thanks."
He argued that trying to bring this to a jury in 2029 (the earliest likely date) would be "illogical and unduly burdensome." He also noted that Trump never explicitly asked Raffensperger to break his oath of office during that call. It was a quiet end to a very loud prosecution.
The Evidence is Going Public
Here is something most people are missing: Judge McAfee just ruled that the evidence once considered "sensitive" can now be seen by everyone.
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For years, there was a protective order keeping the juicy stuff hidden so it wouldn't taint a potential jury. Since there is no jury coming, McAfee said there’s no reason to hide it anymore. We are about to see a flood of documents, testimony, and grand jury records that were previously under lock and key.
It might not lead to a conviction, but it’s going to be a goldmine for historians and political junkies.
Why This Still Matters in 2026
You might think this is all old news since the charges were dismissed, but the fallout is hitting other cases too. Look at Fani Willis’ office right now. They are dealing with a separate mess involving the rapper Young Thug and asset forfeiture.
A judge recently called the DA's conduct in that case "inexcusable" because they misled the court about why they were late filing an appeal. It's a pattern that defense attorneys are starting to pounce on. The "invincibility" of the Fulton County DA's office has definitely taken a hit.
What Happens Next?
If you're following the georgia rico case news, here is what you need to watch for in the coming weeks:
- Judge McAfee’s Ruling on Fees: He has to decide if the "appearance of impropriety" is enough to trigger the reimbursement law. This is the big one.
- The Constitutional Challenge: If McAfee says the law applies, expect the State of Georgia to appeal the constitutionality of the law itself. This could drag on for another year.
- The Evidence Dump: Keep an eye on court records as that "sensitive" evidence starts to leak out. It’ll likely show up in news reports piece by piece.
- Local Budget Battles: Watch the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. They are already sweating over that $17 million figure.
The criminal trial might be over, but the financial and constitutional war is just getting started. If you live in Fulton County, this isn't just a headline—it's potentially your tax dollars on the line.
To stay ahead of this, you should keep a close eye on the Fulton County Superior Court's public docket for Judge McAfee's upcoming orders on the fee motions. You can also monitor the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys' Council (PAC) website, as Pete Skandalakis often releases formal statements there before they hit the major news wires. If you're interested in the evidence itself, look for motions to unseal specific discovery documents, which are expected to be filed by various media outlets in the coming days.