Former Donald Trump chief of staff-turned-co-defendant Mark Meadows is seeking access to records from his time in the White House to aid in contesting criminal charges against him in Georgia. Court records reveal that Meadows no longer has access to his calendars, emails, and other documents from the end of the Trump presidency, and Georgia prosecutors did not receive them from federal authorities.
Due to the unavailability of these records for Meadows' legal defense, he has initiated efforts to obtain them from the federal government. His attorneys stated that these records are crucial as they detail Meadows' actions, directives to subordinates, timing, and rationale behind his decisions.
Meadows filed a lawsuit in DC's local court to secure the records, prompting the National Archives to request moving the case to federal court in Washington. Meadows, along with Trump and other allies, faces charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia and has pleaded not guilty.
The records Meadows is seeking cover the period from Election Day 2020 to January 2021, including text messages among Oval Office staffers and call logs between his office, the White House Situation Room, and Air Force One. Additionally, he is requesting official White House records from March 2020 onwards, focusing on the presidential transition post-election and key initiatives such as the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Covid-19 pandemic relief efforts.
