Lt. Gov. Burt Jones won't face charges in Georgia election case
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones will not be charged in connection with the Georgia election interference case, according to an announcement made on Friday.
Jones, who was a state senator at the time, was reportedly one of the 16 Republicans who convened on Dec. 14, 2020, at Georgia's gold-domed Capitol, asserting themselves as legitimate electors. Jones, along with the others, allegedly signed documents stating that they were the "duly elected and qualified electors" from Georgia.
Additionally, Jones reportedly advocated for a special session of the State Legislature to overturn Trump’s loss in Georgia and joined a lawsuit seeking the same outcome. Jones also traveled to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, to ask the vice president to delay certification of the Electoral College votes.
Jones has consistently stated that he was following the advice of a lawyer at the time.
Nearly two years ago, a Fulton County judge tasked the state’s Prosecuting Attorneys Council (PAC) with appointing a special prosecutor to examine whether Jones’ actions constituted criminal behavior.
Georgia Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Burt Jones (R-GA) speaks at a rally as former US President Donald Trump watches on September 25, 2021 in Perry, Georgia. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
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On Friday, PAC Executive Director Peter Skandalakis announced they would not prosecute Jones, stating there was no criminal intent and that Jones "acted in a manner consistent with his position."
Following the announcement, Jones released the following statement:
"I have always wanted to tell my story in front of a fair and unbiased prosecutor, which Fani Willis clearly is not. I am thankful that I finally had the opportunity to do that. Ms. Willis has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars trying to weaponize our judicial system, increase her political profile, and finance an inappropriate relationship with her boyfriend.
"I look forward to focusing on the work I was elected to do. And while I don’t expect an apology from Ms. Willis or her mouthpieces in the media, I would ask that she provide one to the Georgians whose time and money she has wasted. She can start by being transparent with the General Assembly and complying with the subpoena issued for her testimony regarding the use of state tax dollars distributed to her office."
On Thursday, it was announced that Fultony County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfree has dismissed two more charges against former President Donald Trump and an additional charge against one of his co-defendants in the election interference case.