A federal judge rejected the request of Mark Meadows, one of the co-defendants in Trump’s Georgia trial, to have his case moved to federal court.
Meadows, a former White House chief of staff, was charged with two felonies for his role in the Trump campaign’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Meadows will likely appeal the judge’s decision.
In their arguments to move the case to federal court, Meadows’ lawyers argued that the charges implicated his duties as a federal officer. However, the judge ruled that Meadows “failed to meet his burden of proof” and that the case should be moved to federal court.
The judge found that Meadows’ job as White House chief of staff “did not include work for the Trump campaign” and that the U.S. Constitution “provides no basis for executive branch involvement in election and post-election processes.”
The charges against Meadows, who has pleaded not guilty, allege that he pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to decertify the state’s election results. A recording of the phone call, in which Trump also took part, was released after the election.
The judge’s decision is a major victory for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who filed charges against all 19 defendants. And it doesn’t bode well for Trump and other defendants who have said they will likely ask to have their cases moved to federal court.
Aside from potentially making judges and juries friendlier, a transfer to federal court would also test the limits of the Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which is applied to defendants.
It would also prevent televised court proceedings because cameras are banned in federal courts.
