Mark Meadows, Trump’s co-defendant and former chief of staff at the white house, recently received a monumental loss at an appeal court. The jury denied his request for the court to rehear his appeal on his Fulton County criminal case.
This rejection means Meadows’ only hope is the US Supreme Court, as they may be more inclined to hear his story. However, the denial also prevents Meadows’ case from progressing to federal court, as he’s made all attempts to get there
Who Is Mark Meadows?
Before continuing with the details of his denial, it’s worth taking a look at who Meadows is and his crime. His full name is Mark Randall Meadows, an American politician who served as the 29th White House chief of staff from 2020 to 2021.
He served under the Trump Administration, and many consider him to be one of the former president’s closest allies. But in 2021, law enforcement held Meadows in criminal contempt of Congress because he refused to cooperate with the January 6 Select Committee.
Mark Meadows’ Fulton County Criminal Case
Now that Meadows’ identity is out of the way, let’s talk about why he’s in court. Mark Meadows was charged with violating Georgia’s RICO law. He’s also accused of trying to make the Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, violate his oath during the 2020 election.
Naturally, Meadows pleaded not guilty to the accusations. His legal team also released a statement saying that the chief of staff’s actions align with his many responsibilities.
Fulton County Clapped Back At Meadows
Meadows’ primary argument is that all he did was consistent with his duties. Some of his duties were having informal contacts with state-level policymakers to discuss matters of national security.
Fulton County quickly rejected Meadows’ claims and then accused him of violating the Hatch Act. This law restricts civil service employees from getting involved in political activities, except you’re the president or vice,
The Judge Gave The Verdict
After a lot of analysis, the court called Meadows in for a Monday ruling. They sided with Fulton County, stating that Meadows’ actions weren’t related to his sutures as chief of staff.
The opinion reads: “We conclude that Meadows’s association with the alleged conspiracy was not related to his office of chief of staff. Simply put, whatever the precise contours of Meadows’s official authority, that authority did not extend to an alleged conspiracy to overturn valid election results.”
Meadows Asked For A Rehearing
Meadow was unsatisfied with the judge’s ruling and requested a Rehearing. This is when someone asks the Court of Appeal to consider the case again. Why? The judge and jury may have made a legal mistake while giving their opinion.
While it’s legal to request a rehearing, the court rarely considers it. Cases are only taken seriously if there was a major error when applying the law or the court failed to include a crucial argument in their decision.
The Court Denied Meadows’ Request For A Rehearing
As predicted, the whole bench of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Meadows’ plea for a rehearing. This case is one of his attempts to move his Fulton County criminal case to federal court.
According to the court order: “The Petition for Rehearing En Banc is DENIED, no judge in regular active service on the Court having requested that the Court be polled on rehearing en banc.”
The Case May Not Make It To Federal Court
The court has made its final verdict and refuses to hear Meadows retell his side of the story. This rejection pushed him to request that the case be taken to the federal court, but that’s unlikely to happen.
The appeals court reiterated its position after discarding Meadows’s case. They claimed that “the events giving rise to this criminal action were not related to Meadows’s official duties.”
Why Meadow Wants The Federal Court
The court already clarified that Meadows’ actions while in office aren’t related to his responsibilities. Yet, the former chief of staff wants an audience with the grand jury. Why so adamant?
If he makes it to the federal court, experts speculate that Meadows hopes for a broader jury pool. These people will likely be friends of Trump and maybe more merciful to his allies, unlike in Fulton County.
Meadows Is Relentless. He Has A Plan B
Since the court won’t rehear his case or let the issue go to federal court, Meadows wants to try a different tactic. He asked for the full bench to remove him based on a law that wipes off criminal proceedings for actions they took in office.
This attempt aims to throw out Meadows’ case since he’s immune to charges related to his time as an officer. Will this argument stand in court? Experts are yet to weigh in on Meadows’ move.
He Hasn’t Given Up Yet
While there’s no guarantee that Meadows’ case will make it to federal court, he hasn’t given up yet. The former chief of staff hired three new lawyers to his legal team to push his case further.
The new recruits include Clement, Erin Murphy, and Zachary Lustbader, who are seasoned professionals. Their presence shows Meadows’ dedication to taking his case to federal court and being among a more considerate jury.
Clement May Help Push This Case
Amongst Meadows’ new team of lawyers is Clement. This attorney was nominated by President George W. Bush for U.S. solicitor general. Clement is famous for handling several conservative cases and dozens before the Supreme Court.
His most recent case, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, involved arguments that could overrule the chevron precedent. He’s also famous for winning the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, which struck down New York’s gun laws.
Meadows Might Not Reach The Supreme Court
Irrespective of his new lawyers and arguments, the chances of Meadows tracking the Supreme Court are slim. Fulton County already gave their verdict that his actions were not related to his duties.
Despite his request for a rehearing, the court ruled that it wasn’t worthwhile. Even readers on other forums argue that the Supreme Court has better things to do than find reasons to free “an obvious criminal.”
