Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is making a legal move to shift his Arizona election subversion criminal case to federal court in a bid to have the charges against him dismissed. If successful, this maneuver could potentially benefit Meadows by invoking federal immunity granted to certain individuals prosecuted or sued for actions related to their US government roles.
An indictment was issued in April by an Arizona grand jury against Meadows and 17 others associated with former President Donald Trump. The charges stem from efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, including the submission of fake electors from Arizona and involvement of individuals linked to Trump's campaign. Meadows has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
Meadows' legal team argued in court documents filed recently that the indictment directly pertains to his official duties as Trump's chief of staff. They contended that the allegations against Meadows involve interactions with individuals seeking to influence Trump or provide updates on legal strategies, actions that fall within his role as a federal official.
US District Judge John Tuchi, appointed by former President Barack Obama, has scheduled a hearing for September 5 to address Meadows' request.
This is not the first time Meadows has pursued such legal tactics. Previously, he attempted a similar strategy in Georgia when facing charges related to election subversion in that state. Despite testifying about his White House responsibilities, a federal judge ruled that Meadows had exceeded his executive branch duties in the actions outlined in the Georgia indictment.
The Arizona case is distinct from the Georgia proceedings, although there is some overlap in the alleged conduct, particularly concerning Meadows' activities following Trump's electoral defeat.
As the legal battle continues, Meadows has sought review by the US Supreme Court in the Georgia matter, after a federal appeals court upheld the previous ruling against him.
