Mark Meadows seeks to delay surrender, asks federal court to block his Georgia arrest

Meadows and a co-defendant, Jeffrey Clark, a former assistant attorney general, contend their federal jobs provide immunity from state-level criminal charges.

• Meadows asked U.S. District Judge Steve Jones to move his case to federal court or prohibit Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from arresting him.
• Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said she is not offering extensions to the Friday deadline for defendants to surrender in the case.

Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff who was indicted in Georgia with Donald Trump, filed an urgent request Tuesday for a federal court to block his arrest while deciding whether to move his case from state to federal court.

The move came after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis refused to grant an extension to his scheduled surrender by noon Friday.

Meadows had argued in his lawsuit that he should be immune from Fulton County charges because the allegations covered allegations that were part of his duties as a federal official. If the case is moved to federal court, Meadows argued the charges should be dismissed.

Another defendant, Jeffrey Clark, a former assistant attorney general, has also made this argument.

But the deadline is noon Friday for defendants to turn themselves in for booking. A hearing on Meadows’ request is scheduled Monday at 10 a.m.

Willis threatened to issue an arrest warrant at 12:30 p.m. Friday if Meadows doesn't surrender.

"I am not granting any extensions," Willis wrote in a Tuesday email to Meadows' lawyers. "Yourclient is no different than any other criminal defendant in this jurisdiction."

Meadows argued in his filing that U.S. District Judge Steve Jones could either move the case urgently to federal court or to prohibit Willis from arresting him. Jones declined Aug. 16, a day after Meadows filed his lawsuit, to immediately rule in his favor.

Willis is scheduled to reply Wednesday to Meadows’ and Clark's filings.

Trump and 18 others were charged with racketeering and other charges related to trying to overturn the 2020 election. Meadows was charged with soliciting Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to violate his oath of office by participating in a call Jan. 2, 2021, when Trump asked the official to “find” enough votes for him to win the state.

All the defendants in the case are required to surrender for booking at the sheriff’s office by Friday. Others have reached agreements for bonds ranging from $10,000 to $200,000. Trump is expected to surrender Thursday.