In a recent development, former Donald Trump chief of staff-turned-co-defendant Mark Meadows has taken legal action to access records from his time in the White House. This move is aimed at helping him contest the criminal charges against him in Georgia.
According to court records, Meadows no longer has access to his calendars, emails, and other documents from his time in the White House at the end of the Trump presidency. Georgia prosecutors did not obtain these records from federal authorities either.
Due to the unavailability of these crucial records for his legal defense, Meadows is now seeking to obtain them from the federal government. His attorneys have stated, “These specific records identify, among other things, what Mr. Meadows was doing, what he was directing his subordinates to do, when they were doing it, and why.”
Meadows filed a lawsuit in DC’s local court earlier this month to acquire the records. The National Archives has requested to move the case to federal court in Washington this week.
Meadows, along with Trump and several other allies of the former president, faces charges over efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges.
In his quest for records, Meadows is specifically seeking documents spanning Election Day 2020 to January 2021. This includes text messages among Oval Office staffers, call logs between his office and the White House Situation Room, and Air Force One.
Additionally, Meadows is requesting his official records from the White House starting in March 2020, related to the presidential transition after the election, as well as major initiatives such as the Afghanistan troop withdrawal and Covid-19 pandemic relief efforts.
