Georgia legal authorities petition the Supreme Court to preserve Mark Meadows' election manipulation case within state jurisdiction
Previously indicted ex-congressman Meadows, who served as White House chief of staff towards the end of Trump's term, is currently facing racketeering charges and other accusations in Fulton County, tied to his involvement in attempting to alter the outcome of the 2020 election in Georgia. Meadows maintains his innocence in the Georgia case.
Employing a law dating back to the Reconstruction era to safeguard federal officials from state prosecutions, Meadows argues that his trial should shift to federal court, where he would argue that he should be shielded from prosecution due to his position as White House chief of staff. The controversy revolves around determining whether Meadows' actions were undertaken in his official capacity or as a private individual.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis asserted in the Supreme Court that Meadows admitted to pursuing activities on behalf of the Trump campaign that were not considered official actions.
Willis countered arguments that unscrupulous prosecutors may pursue baseless cases against former federal officials, stating that such a scenario remains hypothetical.
Willis argued that Meadows' assumption that widespread prosecution of former federal officials is imminent and inevitable based on heated editorials cannot prove the emergence of a new era of relentless prosecutions.
The Supreme Court's decision in July granted former presidents some immunity for official actions, and US District Judge Tanya Chutkan is currently weighing whether Trump's actions following the 2020 election were undertaken in his official capacity or as a political candidate campaigning for reelection.
Meadows' appeal to the Supreme Court, submitted in July, repeatedly referenced the Trump immunity ruling, with his lawyers emphasizing that a White House chief of staff under investigation for actions tied to the president should not be a close call, especially now that the court has acknowledged that federal immunity influences the admissibility of evidence, rather than the basis for liability.
The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta concluded in 2021 that Meadows' Georgia prosecution should proceed in state court, stating that former federal officials are not covered by the statute intended to remove such cases from state courts to federal courts.
Chief Judge William Pryor's opinion for the court pointed out that the criminal action in question was not related to Meadows' official duties.
The Supreme Court is anticipated to decide on whether to intervene in the case later this year.
Additionally, Meadows has attempted to transfer his Arizona-related 2020 election criminal case to federal court but failed to persuade a judge in August. Meadows plans to appeal the ruling, according to a source close to his legal team.
CNN's Tierney Sneed contributed to this report.
Despite Meadows' argument that his trial should be moved to federal court due to his role as White House chief of staff, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis contends that Meadows' actions were not undertaken in an official capacity, but rather on behalf of the Trump campaign.
Regarding Meadows' attempt to shift his Arizona-related 2020 election criminal case to federal court, he was unable to convince a judge to grant his request, and has announced plans to appeal the decision.
