SCOTUS Rejects Push To Move Georgia Case Against Mark Meadows
The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to allow former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to transfer his Georgia election interference case to federal court, a move he hoped would support his claims of innocence. The justices offered no explanation for their decision, as reported by the Associated Press.
Meadows is one of 19 individuals charged in Georgia with allegedly attempting to keep Donald Trump in office following his 2020 election loss. Trump, who was re-elected last week, is unlikely to face trial during his term, while both men continue to deny any wrongdoing.
Meadows’ attorney, George Terwilliger, stated that Meadows will continue defending his innocence in state court, expecting a favorable outcome.
The election’s impact on other defendants in the case remains uncertain. The proceedings have mostly paused as an appeals court reviews a request to dismiss Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, following claims of a relationship with the special prosecutor leading the case.
Meadows argued before the Supreme Court that, due to the federal nature of his role, the charges should be handled in federal court. He pointed to a recent Supreme Court decision suggesting that presidential immunity could influence evidentiary considerations in his case.
“A White House chief of staff facing criminal charges based on actions relating to his work for the president of the United States should not be a close call—especially now that this court has recognized that federal immunity impacts what evidence can be considered, not just what conduct can form the basis for liability,” his attorneys argued.
Prosecutors countered that Meadows hadn’t demonstrated he was acting in his official capacity, citing a phone call where Trump allegedly urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to secure the state. They argued that Meadows’ case should stay in state court, where he could still raise federal defenses, and challenged concerns that such prosecutions might pose broader risks to federal officials.
“His references to the overheated words of opinion editorials cannot suffice to demonstrate that a new era of ubiquitous prosecution of former federal officials is at hand,” prosecutors stated.
A U.S. district judge and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals both previously ruled that Meadows’ case should remain in state court. Similarly, a federal judge denied his attempt to move a related Arizona case involving alleged fake electors to federal court.
To date, four defendants in the Georgia election case have accepted plea deals, while Trump, Meadows, and 13 others have pleaded not guilty. The Post reports that Trump and his co-defendants are accused of violating Georgia’s anti-racketeering law in an effort to challenge the 2020 election results.
Fulton County prosecutors are also managing additional controversies. In June, court proceedings revealed inappropriate texts from a DA investigator toward a witness involved in a separate case.