Mark Meadows, Trump's former top aide, seeks Supreme Court intervention in Georgia case
Mark Meadows, former White House chief of staff, ahead of a joint meeting of Congress with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Photographer: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty
ATLANTA - Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has intensified his efforts to transfer his case in the Fulton County election interference investigation to federal court, now appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court for intervention.
Meadows, who served as top aide to former President Donald Trump, asserted that he stands a better chance of prevailing in a federal jury trial compared to proceedings in the Fulton County Superior Court. His legal team contends that a recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity could bolster his case.
In a comprehensive 47-page petition, Meadows asserted that the alleged criminal activities in Georgia were actions he undertook in conjunction with Trump’s presidential duties. Therefore, he claims the right, under a nearly 200-year-old statute, to have his defense adjudicated in federal court. This argument, however, has been dismissed by two lower federal courts.
The latest push follows a swift rejection by a three-judge panel on the federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals seven months ago. Shortly after oral arguments, the judges issued a unanimous decision authored by Chief Judge William Pryor—a George W. Bush appointee—with concurrence from two judges appointed by Democratic presidents. They upheld the ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones, concluding that Meadows’ actions were outside his official duties, necessitating the case remain under Georgia jurisdiction.
Meadows faces racketeering charges in Fulton County, where he was indicted last summer along with Trump, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and 16 others.