Legal analyst cites Mark Meadows' most 'telling' comment during court hearing

Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows appeared in federal court on Monday to make the case he was acting in his capacity as a federal employee when he worked with Donald Trump to overthrow the 2020 election. Therefore, he argued, his case in Fulton County should be sent to federal court.

Among the most "telling" pieces of the trial came toward the end of Monday's proceedings, said Just Security editor-in-chief Ryan Goodman.

The final question from the district attorney was about the fake electors and Meadows' involvement.

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"That has no nexus to presidential duties," Goodman explained. "Meadows' response is perhaps telling."

"As chief of staff, no I did not coordinate those efforts," said Meadows.

"Reflect on that," wrote Goodman. He highlighted the phrase "as chief of staff," Meadows didn't do it.

"Indeed, it was not within a chief of staff's official authority. 'I did not coordinate.' Okay, then what would you call what you did do?" Goodman asked.

He then posted an excerpt from Chapter 3 Section 2 of the House Select Committee's report on the attempt to overthrow the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 attack on Congress.

"In early December, the highest levels of the Trump Campaign took note of Chesebro's fake elector plan and began to operationalize it," it said. "On December 6th, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows forwarded a copy of Chesebro's November 18, 2020, memo to Trump Campaign Senior Adviser Jason Miller writing, 'Let's have a discussion about this tomorrow.' Miller replied that he just engaged with reports on the subject, to which Meadows wrote: 'If you are on it then never mind the meeting. We just need to have someone coordinating the electors for states.' Miller clarified that he had only been 'working the PR angle' and they should still meet, to which Meadows answered: 'Got it.' Later that week, Miller sent Meadows a spreadsheet that the Trump Campaign had compiled. It listed contact information for nearly all of the 79 GOP nominees to the electoral college on the November ballot for Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin."

The committee report went on to say that Meadows got a text message from a state legislator in Louisiana recommending the fake electors' scheme. Meadows replied to him: 'We are' doing it."