ATLANTA — President Donald Trump pardoned every defendant in the Georgia election interference case and some others on Monday.
But his pardon only extends to federal charges, and those defendants still face state charges.
Channel 2’s Richard Elliot was at the State Capitol in 2020 when former New York City lawyer and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani prepared to testify about alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election, something multiple investigations said just didn’t happen.
“We’ll talk when it’s over,” Giuliani told Elliot at the time.
Trump issued a pardon for Giuliani and others who testified at that hearing, including Georgia attorney Ray Smith, attorney Jenna Ellis, and former Coffee County GOP Chair Cathy Latham.
In fact, Trump pardoned every single election interference defendant, including the so-called false electors, which includes current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, even though a judge prevented the county from prosecuting him.
Jones is now running for governor.
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His spokesperson said, “After being cleared by the state prosecutor, this is the final confirmation that this whole thing was a charade led by Joe Biden and Fani Willis. They owe the taxpayers an apology and a refund.”
But Trump’s pardon has its limitations.
Since the Georgia Supreme Court barred Fulton County from prosecuting the case, it’s now up to Prosecuting Attorneys Council Executive Director Pete Skandalakis, and he must decide if he’ll continue this case by Thursday.
“President Trump’s pardons apply only to federal charges and do not affect state charges. Therefore, the task before my office remains unchanged. We will continue to carry out our responsibilities without being influenced by matters outside the scope of our assigned task,” Skandalakis said in a statement on Monday.
Elliot reached out to Willis’ office for comment, but did not get one. He also reached out to several other defendants.
More than one said they hadn’t sought the pardon and didn’t know about it until the news broke on Monday morning.
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