Federal Appeals Court Rejects Mark Meadows' Attempt to Move Georgia Election Interference Case
By Zoë Richards and Charlie Gile
December 18, 2023 | 12:48 PM PST
A federal appeals court has rejected former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows' attempt to move his Georgia election interference case out of Fulton County.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that the case should remain in Fulton County, where it was originally filed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The appeals court rejected Meadows' argument that the case should be moved to a different county because he could not receive a fair trial in Fulton County due to the intense media coverage of the case.
The appeals court's decision is a major victory for Willis, who has been investigating Meadows' alleged role in pressuring Georgia election officials to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Meadows has denied any wrongdoing.
Meadows' attorneys had argued that the case should be moved to a different county because the intense media coverage of the case would make it impossible for Meadows to receive a fair trial. They also argued that the Fulton County District Attorney's office had a conflict of interest in the case because Willis had previously been a vocal critic of Trump.
The appeals court rejected both of these arguments, finding that the media coverage of the case was not prejudicial and that the Fulton County District Attorney's office did not have a conflict of interest. The appeals court also noted that Meadows had not provided any evidence to support his claim that he could not receive a fair trial in Fulton County.
The appeals court's decision is a significant setback for Meadows, who is now facing the prospect of a trial in Fulton County. The trial is scheduled to begin in January 2024.
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