Judge denies Mark Meadows’ request to move his Georgia election subversion case to federal court

1 year ago 36

Donald Trump along with his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows and 17 others were recently indicted in Georgia charged with some 41 crimes. Recently, Meadows and his legal team made *** motion to move the case from Georgia to federal court hoping to get *** jury that includes more congressional districts and is therefore more sympathetic to him. That's because Fulton County where the indictment was filed, voted for President Biden 3 to 1. However, now legal experts tell Reuters, they doubt that's going to happen. Law Professor at Georgia State Eric Siegel says that while the move request will slow things down, the case is weak, but he adds that the State's Supreme Court has changed dramatically in recent years, meaning anything could happen though he still believes if they follow the letter of the law, the indictment should stay in Georgia. Karen Morrison, an associate professor of law at the same school. Concurs saying that if Trump follows suit, asks for *** move, she doesn't think either will be successful. Adding that contacting Georgia's top election official, Brad Raffensperger and asking for him to find more votes after the polls closed isn't the President's job meaning he violated *** law in Georgia that was outside federal jurisdiction. Meanwhile, other legal experts say that this is directly tied to the US presidential election and therefore it's anyone's guess what could or should happen?

A judge on Friday denied Mark Meadows’ request to move his Georgia election subversion case to federal court, ruling that the Trump White House chief of staff must fight the charges in state court instead.U.S. District Judge Steve Jones in Atlanta issued the ruling after a hearing last week. He asked for additional information from both sides before reaching his decision.The ruling is 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.The defendants were indicted last month by a Fulton County grand jury on charges they participated in a sprawling scheme to illegally try to overturn Trump’s 2020 presidential election loss in Georgia even though the state’s voters had selected Joe Biden.All have pleaded not guilty.Meadows said 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.Prosecutors said the actions laid out in the indictment were meant to keep Trump in office after he lost to Biden, a Democrat. They said the acts were explicitly political in nature and are illegal under the Hatch Act, which restricts partisan political activity by federal employees. As such, they said, the case should stay in Fulton County Superior Court.Several other people charged in the indictment have also filed motions seeking to move their cases to federal court and have hearings before Jones later this month.

U.S. District Judge Steve Jones in Atlanta issued the ruling after a hearing last week. He asked for additional information from both sides before reaching his decision.

The ruling is 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.

The defendants were indicted last month by a Fulton County grand jury on charges they participated in a sprawling scheme to illegally try to overturn Trump’s 2020 presidential election loss in Georgia even though the state’s voters had selected Joe Biden.

All have pleaded not guilty.

Meadows said 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.

Prosecutors said the actions laid out in the indictment were meant to keep Trump in office after he lost to Biden, a Democrat. They said the acts were explicitly political in nature and are illegal under the Hatch Act, which restricts partisan political activity by federal employees. As such, they said, the case should stay in Fulton County Superior Court.

Several other people charged in the indictment have also filed motions seeking to move their cases to federal court and have hearings before Jones later this month.

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