Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, already under indictment in Georgia’s sprawling election conspiracy case, may have created new legal headaches for himself, a legal expert said Thursday.
NYU law professor Ryan Goodman said in a social media post that he believes Meadows may have perjured himself during testimony at a hearing Monday in which he sought to have his case moved to federal court. Meadows argued that his role as a federal official shields him from state charges.
Court documents obtained by Goodman show Meadows after initially denying that he played “any role” in the coordination of a “fake elector” scheme under cross examination acknowledged that “he had in fact given direction to a campaign official in this regard. Specifically, the defendant wrote in an email…’We just need to have someone coordinating the electors for the states’ and attached a memorandum written by co-defendant Kenneth Chesebro recommending the organization of slates of presidential electors to meet and cast votes for Mr. Trump in states Mr. Trump had lost.”
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Goodman in his post wrote that “Mark Meadows has a potential perjury problem.”
“Fulton County DA puts it in understated terms in new brief. (DA uses it just for credibility.) Meadows' testimony included false statement - his lack of "any role" in coordinating false electors. Was then forced to acknowledge it.”
Goodman added that: “Separately, this is a bit in the legal weeds, but DA makes very strong point. Judge Jones' question assumed some of Meadows' overt acts were beyond the bounds of his official duties. That's game over for the third element he would need to remove the case to federal court.”
Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann notes that such evidence could also be used by special counsel Jack Smith in the Jan. 6 election conspiracy case.“Meadows perjury in the removal hearing can be both separately prosecuted and be additional proof against him in the 1/6 case,” Weissmann said.
“Note: it can be used for both ends by Jack Smith.”
