Mark Meadows' emergency stay request in Georgia election interference case denied
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 14: Former White House Chief of Staff during the Trump administration Mark Meadows speaks during a forum titled House Rules and Process Changes for the 118th Congress at FreedowmWorks headquarters on November 14, 2022 in Was (Getty Images)
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The request for an emergency stay filed by former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has been denied, according to a court document.
Meadows filed a motion for an emergency stay with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals after his request to move his Georgia election interference case to federal court was denied.
Judge Steve Jones rejected Meadows' request on Sept. 8, saying it did not meet the "quite low" threshold to move the case to federal court.
Meadows then filed the request for the emergency stay. The state was given until noon the next day to respond.
According to the ruling, the state filed its expedited opposition response and the court reviewed the emergency motion and concluded that Meadows failed to show a stay should be granted.
The ruling that Meadows' case would not be moved to federal court was a big early win for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who spent 2 1/2 years investigating and building the case against former President Donald Trump, Meadows and 17 others before obtaining the sweeping indictment under Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. She has said she wants to try all the defendants together.
Meadows says his actions were taken as part of his role as chief of staff to the Republican president. He and his lawyers also argued that, since he was a federal official at the time, the charges against him should be heard in federal court and, ultimately, dismissed for lack of merit.
OTHER RECENT STORIES
Trump asks judge to dismiss criminal charges in Georgia 2020 election case
Georgia election interference special grand jury report released
Fulton County DA seeks to protect jurors in Georgia election interference case
Former President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants were indicted Aug. 14 for violating Georgia's RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act and other charges related to the 2020 election results in Georgia. The grand jury indictment was issued following a 2-and-1/2-year investigation by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and a recommendation for indictment by a special grand jury earlier in the year.
Offenses listed in the indictment include an alleged request from Trump to Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, to alter votes. Other charges include making false statements and writings, impersonating a public officer, filing false documents, influencing witnesses, conspiracy to defraud the state, and perjury, among others.
Additional defendants in the case include Trump's former lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and Meadows. All defendants were ordered to surrender to the Fulton County Jail by noon on Aug. 25. Initially, Willis requested a trial date in March 2024, but that request has since been amended to Oct. 23, 2023. Trump continues to assert that he won the election and claims that he is now facing persecution.