WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court refused Tuesday to let former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows move the election interference case against him in Georgia to federal court, where he would have argued he was immune from prosecution.
The justices did not detail their reasoning in a brief order denying his appeal, as is typical. There were no publicly noted dissents.
Meadows was one of 19 people indicted in Georgia and accused of participating in an illegal scheme to keep then-president Donald Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump was also charged, though after he won reelection last week to a second term any trial appears unlikely, at least while he holds office. Both men have denied wrongdoing.
Attorney George Terwilliger said Meadows will continue to assert his innocence in state court, and expects to win an exoneration.
It’s unclear what effect the election results could have on others charged in the case, which is largely on hold after an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case.
Meadows had gone to the Supreme Court in an effort to move the charges out of Georgia courts. He argues the case belongs in federal court because it relates to his duties as a federal official. He pointed to the Supreme Court ruling giving Trump broad immunity from criminal prosecution to support his argument.
“A White House chief of staff facing criminal charges based on actions relating to his work for the president of the United States should not be a close call —especially now that this court has recognized that federal immunity impacts what evidence can be considered, not just what conduct can form the basis for liability,” his attorneys wrote.
But prosecutors said that Meadows failed to show he was carrying out official duties during the alleged scheme, which included participating in a phone call where Trump suggested Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger could help “find” votes he needed to win the state.
They argued the case should stay with Georgia courts, and Meadows can raise federal defenses there. Prosecutors also pushed back against the contention that the charges could have ripple effects on other federal officials.
“His references to the overheated words of opinion editorials cannot suffice to demonstrate that a new era of ubiquitous prosecution of former federal officials is at hand,” government attorneys wrote.
A spokesperson for Willis declined to comment on Tuesday's Supreme Court decision.
A U.S. district judge and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals both ruled that the case against Meadows and some of his co-defendants should remain in state court. A federal judge has also refused to move an Arizona fake elector case against him there to federal court.
Four people have already pleaded guilty in the Georgia election case after reaching deals with prosecutors. The remaining 15, including Trump and Meadows, have pleaded not guilty.
Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this story.
FILE - White House chief of staff Mark Meadows speaks with reporters outside the White House, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
CENTURION, South Africa (AP) — Fast bowler Corbin Bosch made a dream test debut with a wicket on his first ball to provide South Africa a perfect start in the Boxing Day test against Pakistan on Thursday.
Bosch lured Pakistan captain Shan Masood (17) to play a lose drive and had him caught in the slips as Pakistan reached 88-4 at lunch on a seamer friendly SuperSport Park pitch, losing four wickets for 20 runs.
Bosch became the fifth South African bowler after Bert Vogler, Dane Piedt, Hardu Viljoen and Tshepo Moreki to claim a wicket with his first ball in test cricket.
Kamran Ghulam was unbeaten on 23, including a top-edged six over the wicketkeeper’s head against Bosch, and Mohammad Rizwan was not out on 10 at the break.
Masood and opening partner Saim Ayub (14) had thwarted the pace threat of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen in the first hour after captain Temba Bavuma won the toss under overcast conditions and elected to field.
But Bosch’s breakthrough saw Pakistan's top-order crumble against the pace with Dane Paterson finding edges of Ayub and Babar Azam (4).
Babar, who was dropped for the last two test matches at home against England, has long been struggling in red-ball cricket. His struggles continued as he hit Bosch for a boundary of the first ball he faced before playing loosely to Paterson and getting caught in the slips after just 11 balls.
Left-hander Saud Shakeel (14) struck three fours against Paterson before Bosch had him caught down the leg-side off a sharp short pitch ball after South Africa successfully went for a television review.
Both teams packed their playing XIs with four fast bowlers each and didn’t include a specialist spinner at a venue where pace has dominated over the last six years.
South Africa, which leads the World Test Championship points table, needs a win in one of the two test matches against Pakistan to guarantee a place in next June’s final at Lord’s.
Seventh-place Pakistan included fast bowlers Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas and Aamer Jamal in its team.
Abbas made a comeback to test cricket after more than three years while Naseem returned after missing out the last two home tests against England in October.
Injury-prone Shahzad also missed out three home test matches against England, but got the nod ahead of left-arm pace bowler Mir Hamza.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
South Africa's Corbin Bosch, centre, celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood for 17 runs during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Pakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Pakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa's Corbin Bosch, centre, celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood for 17 runs during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
South Africa's players celebrate after teammate Corbin Bosch took a wicket during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
