Bad news for Trump and his raft of co-conspirators: a Federal judge has denied Mark Meadows's request to move his trial to Federal court. Meadows served as Trump's Chief of Staff and also assisted in the plot to overthrow the United States. Meadows tried, unsuccessfully, to portray his participation in an insurrection as "just doing my job for the American people." The judge pointed out that the Hatch Act clarifies the scope of a Federal job and does not include stealing elections.
This means that a similar motion for Trump, or any of his co-conspirators, would also fail. Standing trial in Georgia state court means the trial will be televised. It also means finding a more friendly jury in another county is not going to happen, and if somehow Trump were to become President again, he would not be able to pardon himself or others of a State crime.
CNN:
A federal judge on Friday rejected former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows' bid to move his Georgia criminal case to federal court, a significant setback for Meadows and a troubling sign for former President Donald Trump.
The ruling against Meadows has significant implications for the former president and his 18 co-defendants in the Fulton County district attorney's sprawling racketeering case. Meadows was the first of five defendants who already filed motions to move the case to federal court – and Trump is expected to do so, too.
Meadows unsuccessfully argued that his case, now playing out in Georgia state court, should be moved because the allegations in the indictment were connected to his official duties as White House chief of staff. His lawyers wanted the case in federal court so they could try to get it dismissed altogether, invoking federal immunity extended to certain individuals who are prosecuted or sued for conduct tied to their US government roles.
