Former White House Chief of Staff for President Donald Trump, Mark Meadows, is seeking to have the charges against him in Arizona’s fake electors case transferred to federal court. As outlined in a court filing released on Wednesday, Meadows’ legal team is requesting the case be moved to U.S. District Court, asserting that his actions were carried out while he was a federal official serving as Trump’s chief of staff. They also mentioned plans to later seek a dismissal of the charges at the federal level. U.S. District Judge John Tuchi, nominated by former President Barack Obama, has scheduled a hearing for September 5 to review Meadows’ request.
Meadows is facing charges in both Arizona and Georgia for his alleged involvement in a purported illegal scheme aimed at overturning the 2020 election results in favor of Trump, despite Joe Biden winning Arizona by 10,457 votes. Prosecutors in Arizona claim that Meadows collaborated with other members of the Trump campaign to submit names of fraudulent electors from Arizona and other states to Congress in an effort to maintain Trump in office following his defeat in November 2020.
The indictment in Arizona also reveals that Meadows reportedly disclosed to a White House staff member in early November 2020 that Trump had indeed lost the election. Meadows had previously attempted to have his charges in Georgia transferred to federal court last year without success. Despite this setback, he has since appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for a review of the decision.
In response to Meadows’ move to transfer the case to federal court, his legal representatives argue that none of the actions attributed to him in Arizona were unlawful. They explained that the charges consist of allegations that he received communications from individuals seeking to convey ideas to President Trump or update Meadows on the legal efforts of the campaign.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office, which brought the charges against Meadows in state court, declined to comment on his recent request. Legal experts, such as former county judge Mel McDonald, suggest that Meadows may have a stronger chance to have the case moved to federal court due to its connection to a federal election and his role as a federal official.
In total, 18 Republicans were charged in April in Arizona’s fake electors case, including individuals who submitted a document falsely claiming Trump’s victory in the state, as well as Trump associates like Rudy Giuliani and others connected to the former president. Meadows, along with the remaining defendants, have pleaded not guilty to charges of forgery, fraud, and conspiracy in the Arizona case.
While Trump himself was not charged in Arizona, he is referred to as an unindicted coconspirator in the indictment. A recent court filing also revealed that the grand jury considering the case had debated charging Trump but a prosecutor advised against it, citing Department of Justice policies on avoiding double jeopardy and uncertainty regarding existing evidence.
Furthermore, criminal charges related to the fake electors scheme have been filed by prosecutors in Michigan, Nevada, Georgia, and Wisconsin, indicating a broader legal push against those involved in such endeavors.