Former chief of staff Mark Meadows's request to move the charges against him in Georgia to federal court could be a benefit for himself as well as his co-defendants, including former President Donald Trump, if granted.
Meadows will have his appeal on the matter heard by a judge on Monday. A move to federal court would be particularly valuable when it comes to jurors, the possibility of immunity, and the lack of cameras in the courtroom.
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However, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis would still lead the prosecution. Meadows would also be subject to the same charges, which regard Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer.
Here are three ways Meadows moving his case to federal court would affect the proceedings in his case — and others if successful.
Jury Pool
If Meadows's case is tried in federal court, the pool of jurors would be much larger and less likely to be biased against him. Fulton County, Georgia, would likely be a difficult court for Meadows and the 18 others charged in the case because the county's voting record overwhelmingly supported now-President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. The county went 73% for Biden, while just 26% chose Trump.
A federal case would be expected to pull jurors from the larger surrounding area of Atlanta, which is home to more Trump-sympathetic voters, according to Politico.
Possible Immunity
The argument for immunity is one of the most important benefits of a move to federal court. Meadows's team is expected to cite the Constitution's supremacy clause, arguing that his actions described in the Georgia grand jury indictment were in line with his federal responsibilities in the Trump administration. Since the clause states that federal law supersedes those of states, he should be immune, his team is expected to argue.
Willis’s prosecution team is, however, expected to claim that Meadows's actions were explicitly political. And since they were political, they could not have been in line with his responsibilities as chief of staff. Otherwise, it would be a Hatch Act violation. The Hatch Act prevents most executive branch employees from being involved in various forms of political activity.
Cameras in the Courtroom
While cameras can be permissible in Georgia courts, they are not allowed in federal courtrooms. It's unknown whether a televised trial would benefit or harm the reputations of defendants or how it would affect support for Trump. However, the banning of cameras in the courtroom would give the defendants more privacy during their trials.
Some say Meadows and others have a case for moving to federal court. Even former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has denounced Trump and his actions after the election, said Meadows has "an argument to make.”
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“There’s no doubt about that under the statutes, there’s an argument to make," he added.
So far, four other co-defendants have filed to move their cases to federal court. Meadows's Monday hearing is expected to set the tone for how the others will fare.