Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows and alleged co-conspirator calls for Georgia election case to be moved to federal court
Former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows and alleged co-conspirator calls for Georgia election case to be moved to federal court
- Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows filed a motion to move the Georgia state indictment to federal court
- His lawyers argue that his case belongs in federal court because he was a federal official at the time and worked under former President Donald Trump
- Meadows was charged with soliciting a breach of oath from a public official for taking part in the infamous Trump talk with Georgia official Brad Raffensperger.
Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows filed a motion to move the charges against him in Fulton County, Georgia, to federal court.
Meadows was charged Monday along with his ex-boss, former President Donald Trump.
Trump, Meadows and 17 other defendants were charged with crimes related to overturning President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election in Peach State.
Meadows’ attorney George Terwilliger and Atlanta-based counterpart Joseph Englert argued in the motion Tuesday that Meadows’ case should be referred to federal court because he was working as a federal officer at the time.
That reports ABC News Tuesday that Trump is expected to make a similar move.
Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows filed motion to move charges against him in Fulton County, Georgia, to federal court
“Nothing Mr. Meadows would have done in the indictment is necessarily criminal: organizing Oval Office meetings, contacting state officials on behalf of the president, visiting a government building and making a phone call for the president,” Terwilliger said. upon submission.
“You would expect a Chief of Staff to the President of the United States to do this sort of thing,” he continued.
“This is exactly the kind of state interference in the duties of a federal official that the supremacy clause of the US Constitution prohibits, and against which the removal statute provides protection,” the attorney added.
Terwilliger also said Meadows intends to try to get the case dismissed entirely, but would go that route at a “later date.”
If the case is referred to federal court, “state court against Mr. Stop Meadows,” the lawyer argued.
“That will allow timely consideration of Mr. Meadows’ defense, including his federal defense under the supremacy clause, without him having to defend himself in state court at the same time,” the filing said.
ABC News reported Tuesday that former President Donald Trump is also likely to push for his charges against the state of Georgia to be moved to federal court
Meadows is assigned to District Judge Steve Jones, an Obama appointee.
The former chief of staff has been charged with violating Georgia’s RICO law – Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations – and inciting a public official’s oath violation.
The latest charge is related to Meadows being present during Trump’s infamous phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 2, when the then president asked the top election official to “find” votes.
‘All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, that’s one more than we have,” Trump is heard saying.
The Washington Post’s coverage of the call prompted Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to begin her investigation, which culminated in the indictment of Trump, Meadows and others Monday night.