Mark Meadows Battles Georgia Prosecutors: Mark Meadows, former chief of staff to Donald Trump, is battling election fraud charges in Georgia. Meadows believes the case should be moved to federal court due to his job. Judge Steve Jones hasn’t decided yet, but the case could set a legal standard. Fulton County DA Fani Willis says Meadows’ actions aimed to alter 2020 election results for Trump. Meadows was charged with espionage and asking Raffensperger to break the oath of office on January 2, 2021. Trump asked Raffensperger to “find” enough votes for him to win Georgia. This is part of a larger indictment that lists 161 actions by 19 defendants in an alleged plot to alter the 2020 Presidential election results.
Meadows wants his case moved to federal court, claiming that contacting state officials was part of his job as chief of staff. “Opposing rule would yield absurd outcomes,” stated Meadows’ attorneys in their filing. They say one public act should be enough to move the case forward based on laws and court decisions. Willis believes Meadows’ role in the conspiracy exceeds his job duties. Prosecutors claimed the defendant conspired to transform Mr. Trump’s political prospects, regardless of the election outcome, rather than fulfilling his duties as chief of staff.
Judge Jones has requested additional written arguments after a full day of hearings but has not provided a ruling timeline. Jones questioned if any item in the 98-page charge warranted federal government intervention for the entire case. Three replacement electors for Trump and former assistant attorney general Jeffrey Clark have requested their cases to be moved to federal court. Their perspective aligns with Meadows’s as they both served in government roles, such as the Justice Department or as presidential electors.
ALSO READ: Mark Meadows: Urgent Bid to Block Arrest Amid Federal Court Battle
The indictment lists Meadows’ actions believed to be part of the plot. Meadows met with lawmakers at the White House on November 20 and November 25, 2020. He also texted Rep. Scott Perry on November 21 for state legislature leaders’ phone numbers for Trump to call. Meadows and Trump reportedly met with Trump’s aide, John McEntee, in December to discuss a plan where VP Mike Pence would reject electors from certain states. The case adds complexity to the aftermath of the 2020 U.S. election and may impact political battles and future elections.