Donald Trump's final chief of staff, Mark Meadows, made the former president and his staffers "deeply suspicious" for months because of his cooperation with federal prosecutors surrounding allegations of election-related crimes, according to the New York Times.
Meadows engaged in what was described as a "high-wire legal act" to deter personal and political consequences affiliated with the 2020 election. A Georgia grand jury voted last week to indict Trump, Meadows and 17 others on a total of 41 charges, including violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
"Mark Meadows will almost certainly be a critical fact witness in both of the federal prosecutions against Mr. Trump, and other than [former Vice President] Mike Pence might be one of the most important witnesses in the election interference case in particular," national security attorney Bradley Moss told Newsweek via email. "It is likely, although not guaranteed, he received some form of limited-use immunity as part of his grand jury testimony."
Last week, Meadows' attorneys filed a request to remove the case from Fulton County to a federal court. They argued that the former chief of staff was performing official duties at the time of the alleged crimes and announced an intention to "file a motion to dismiss the indictment" once the venue change is approved.
Harry Litman, a former federal attorney, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Meadows' removal motion was "part of a long ago conceived strategy" spurred by his lawyer, George Terwilliger, for dealing with Fulton County, Georgia, and any potential charges.
"Been a puzzle how he permitted Meadows to testify in 1/6 investigation and still have exposure in GA," Litman wrote.
Meadows is alleged to have had roles in other indictments centered on Trump, including his alleged retainment of stolen classified documents containing sensitive information and the former president's alleged role in the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
ABC News recently reported that Meadows told federal investigators he could not recall a "standing order" ever existing regarding Trump's authorization to be able to automatically "declassify" said documents prior to leaving office, which has been among the Trump team's biggest defenses of his actions since being indicted this year by special counsel Jack Smith.
Meadows' text communications revolving around January 6 could also put him in hot legal water, legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner said Monday following a Washington Post report claiming that Meadows "joked" about Trump's alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election even when his own beliefs were to the contrary.
No charges have been levied against Meadows in the January 6 case. However, Moss said that Meadows' remarks to federal prosecutors may not be enough to spare him criminal liability in the Georgia case.
"He made this bed and he might have to lie in it now," Moss said.
Attorney Andrew Lieb told Newsweek via email that he believes Meadows has flipped for myriad reasons, arguably the most important that "loyalty ends at the jailhouse."
The recent revelation involving what Meadows allegedly told prosecutors about the classified documents could be a tell, he added.
"This tells me that Meadows is no longer dancing to Trump's tune," Lieb said. "If this is true, Meadows will be the biggest key to Trump on the Georgia charges and, for that matter, in all four jurisdictions where Trump is a criminal defendant.
"Meadows was on the call with Trump with [Georgia Secretary of State Brad] Raffensperger. He knows the behind-the-scenes play-by-play. He can unwind the so-called 'perfect call' by being the 'perfect prosecutor's witness.'
"In any event, it's not looking good for Trump if Meadows flipped."
Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara told Jon Karl on ABC's This Week on Sunday that he doesn't think Meadows has flipped on Trump.
"We have a situation in which he has been charged in the Georgia case and it's unlikely that you're charged and defendant in one case, but you flipped in a related case," Bharara said. "So, I don't know that he's cooperating."
Newsweek reached out to Terwilliger and a Trump spokesperson via email for comment.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Nick Mordowanec is a Newsweek reporter based in Michigan. His focus is reporting on Ukraine and Russia, along with social ... Read more
