Judge Rejects Meadows’ Bid to Shift Arizona Fake Electors Case to Federal Court

A federal judge has decided against Mark Meadows, the former Chief of Staff to the White House, in his bid to transfer his Arizona fake elector case from state court to federal court.

Meadows is facing charges along with 17 others, including forgery and conspiracy, related to attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Arizona. He has entered a plea of not guilty.

Earlier in August, Meadows’ legal team argued that the case should be moved to federal court, citing that the indictment directly related to Meadows’s actions performed while serving as Chief of Staff to then-President Donald Trump. This line of reasoning mirrors his prior attempts concerning a separate case in Fulton County, Georgia, where he claimed that acts taken as a federal official should allow for the transfer of criminal proceedings.

In a ruling delivered by U.S. District Court Judge John J. Tuchi, it was determined that the state charges, which include nine felony counts associated with his role in seeking to overturn Trump’s defeat in Arizona, were “unrelated” to Meadows’s official governmental duties.

Judge Tuchi remarked, “Although the Court credits Mr. Meadows’s theory that the Chief of Staff is responsible for acting as the President’s gatekeeper, that conclusion does not create a causal nexus between Mr. Meadows’s official authority and the charged conduct.” This statement emphasizes that the nature of the charges does not stem from actions taken in his capacity as Chief of Staff.

Further, the judge noted, “The Court finds that Mr. Meadows fails to present good cause for his untimely filing of his Notice of Removal,” and concluded that he could not illustrate that the actions he is being charged with were linked to his former role in office.

In response to the ruling, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a statement affirming the court’s decision. Mayes noted, “The Court therefore will remand this matter to the state court,” implying that the case will proceed in the state judicial system as originally intended.

The legal troubles for Meadows are part of a broader inquiry involving multiple individuals who allegedly attempted to manipulate the electoral outcome in Arizona. The case illustrates the ongoing fallout from the contentious 2020 election and its aftermath.

This ruling is a significant setback for Meadows in an already critical case, as he continues to navigate multiple legal battles concerning events stemming from the election. Earlier in the summer, charges against another defendant, former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, were dropped after she agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigations.

As legal proceedings advance, the implications for Meadows and his co-defendants remain to be seen. The decisions regarding jurisdiction and court proceedings will likely have a lasting impact on the unfolding legal narratives associated with the 2020 election challenges.