In two six-page rulings by Atlanta-based U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows' request to prohibit District Attorney Fani Willis from arresting him by Friday's deadline has been denied.
According to Politico, both Meadows and Jeffrey Clark were looking to "derail the criminal proceedings against them in Fulton County, where they're charged alongside Donald Trump with a sprawling racketeering conspiracy to subvert the results of the 2020 election," on the basis that "both men say their cases should be handled — and ultimately dismissed — by federal courts because of their work for the Trump administration."
"Until the federal court assumes jurisdiction over a state criminal case, the state court retains jurisdiction over the prosecution and the proceedings continue," Jones wrote in his ruling, noting that "this provision of federal law can mean that defendants are not only arrested, but sometimes even put on trial while motions to move their cases to federal court are pending," per the outlet's reporting. This ensures that Meadows will, along with the other co-defendants, face arrest this week.
