Mark Meadows Takes Huge Risk in Georgia Case

Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows took the stand to testify Monday in Georgia, prompting some to wonder if his decision was wise.

Meadows testified about his duties serving as former President Donald Trump's chief of staff following an indictment in Fulton County related to alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state.

Trump, Meadows and 17 other co-defendants have been accused of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act in Georgia, as well as other crimes related to attempts to have the state's election results altered in Trump's favor. Joe Biden won the state narrowly in 2020.

His testimony on Monday is related to his attempt to have the Georgia case moved to federal court instead of the county where he was indicted.

Meadows' testimony began with discussions about his role serving in Trump's White House and said, "I would get invited to almost every meeting that the president had," CNN's Jeremy Herb posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Michael McAuliffe, a former federal prosecutor and elected state attorney told Newsweek on Monday that Meadows' decision to testify "is a clear sign that for Meadows the significant risks of testifying are less critical than the potential to get the case into a federal forum."

"Meadows' testimony is a very public bet that the U.S. district judge will conclude that the charges arise from his duties as a chief of staff and not his role as an informal and personal aide-de-camp to Trump, executing Trump's wishes as a losing candidate to change the outcome of the presidential election," McAuliffe said.

"The downside risk is Meadows will be subject to cross-examination regarding issues central to the charges," he told Newsweek. "The Fifth Amendment waiver is confined to the scope of Meadows's testimony, but the testimony could cover extensive ground."

Neama Rahmani, the president of West Coast Trial Lawyers and former federal prosecutor told Newsweek that Meadows testifying in Georgia is "a calculated risk."

"His testimony relates to the jurisdictional question of whether removal to federal court is appropriate and not his guilt or innocence to the charges," Rahmani said. "If he is successful in convincing the district judge that his actions were taken under color of his office, his jury pool in the Northern District of Georgia will be more mixed than liberal Fulton County alone."

Newsweek reached out to Mark Meadows' lawyer via email for comment.