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Special prosecutor may investigate Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones following Trump indictment

A special prosecutor could be appointed to investigate whether Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones should face criminal charges in a scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state. Photo courtesy of Lt. Gov. of Georgia
A special prosecutor could be appointed to investigate whether Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones should face criminal charges in a scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state. Photo courtesy of Lt. Gov. of Georgia

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- A special prosecutor could be appointed to investigate whether Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones should face criminal charges in a scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state.

Jones is one of 30 people who was named, but not charged as co-conspirators, in the Fulton County indictment unsealed Monday.

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Former President Donald Trump and 18 others, including his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman, were named as defendants and accused of illegally trying to "change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump," according to the 98-page indictment.

The executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia Pete Skandalakis said Tuesday he is planning to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Jones' actions.

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Jones, who was a state senator at the time of the 2020 election, is accused of pushing for a special legislative session to consider appointing Trump electors. He's also accused of supporting lawsuits to void the results in Georgia.

Last year, a Fulton County judge barred District Attorney Fani Willis from investigating Jones after she held a fundraiser for his Democratic opponent during the election.

Jones, who was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2012, was elected lieutenant governor in November.

While Monday's indictment did not name Jones, it referred to him as "unindicted co-conspirator Individual 8," who urged Georgians to rally their support for overturning Biden's victory.

"Call your state Senate & House Reps & ask them to sign the petition for a special session. We must have free & fair elections in GA & this is our only path to ensuring every legal vote is counted," Jones wrote in a social media post on Dec. 7, 2020.

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Monday's indictment claims Individual 8 was one of the fake Republican electors, while accusing Individual 8 of being part of a conspiracy to impersonate a public officer, forge fake Electoral College paperwork, make false statements and file false documents.

While Jones did not address the possible investigation into his actions Tuesday, he blasted Willis in a post on X.

"The Fulton County District Attorney has spent millions of taxpayer dollars and thousands of man hours over the past two and a half years orchestrating a constant media and PR campaign for the sole purpose of furthering her own political career," Jones wrote, accusing the district attorney of ignoring "real criminals."

"For the past two and a half years -- smash and grabs, homicides, shootings and break ins have continued to go unchecked in Atlanta," Jones said. "How many criminals could have been locked up, how many break ins could have been prevented, how many lives could have been saved if the district attorney had simply been going after real criminals and protecting our streets?" Jones queried.

"While the Fulton County district attorney continues to pursue the political vendettas of the past -- I have and will continue to look forward, solving the most pressing issues facing our city and our state."

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