(RightWing.org) – Former president Donald Trump’s legal woes increased earlier this month after a Georgia DA indicted him for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election result. This could be a serious blow to his 2024 presidential run because if he’s elected, he won’t be able to pardon himself on state charges. Now he’s been thrown a potential lifeline.
On August 14, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was indicted, along with Trump and 17 others, on racketeering charges related to the 2020 general election. Trump surrendered himself for arraignment on August 23 — but Meadows is pushing back.
He quickly submitted a request to move the case from state to federal court, and at the same time, he filed an emergency motion to stall his arrest in Fulton County, Georgia. That motion was denied, and Meadows also surrendered himself last Wednesday, but a hearing will now be held on August 28 to consider his request for a federal trial.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who brought the indictment against Trump, Meadows and the others, wants to hang on to the case and have it heard in Fulton Superior Court. Trump is her prize defendant, but by indicting so many others, she might have weakened her own position.
If Meadows — a less controversial figure — can get the case moved, he’s hoping he can argue that he’s immune from prosecution under the Constitution. The upside for him is obvious, but if the case is transferred to a federal court, Trump benefits too.
That means Willis can be expected to pull out all the stops to prevent the move; Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has already been told he’s being subpoenaed to testify at the hearing. Even if it fails, though, there are 18 other defendants and several of them, including Trump, are believed to be considering the same request. This particular fight won’t end on the 28th.
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