Former White House chief of staff Meadows was indicted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis alongside Trump and others on racketeering charges over their alleged conduct following the 2020 election.

While Meadows had asked the Supreme Court to remove his case to federal court, it refused to do so on Tuesday. 

Defense attorneys cited Supreme Court's immunity ruling

The Associated Press noted that Meadows' attorneys argued that their client's case should be heard in federal court given that he was serving as White House chief of staff when his conduct was alleged to have taken place.

What's more, they also pointed to a ruling from July of this year in which America's highest judicial body found that presidents enjoy a presumption of immunity for official acts.

Supreme Court rejects push to move Georgia case against ex-Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows (from @AP) https://t.co/NzLFP4H8l7

— Patrick Whittle (@pxwhittle) November 12, 2024

"A White House chief of staff facing criminal charges based on actions relating to his work for the president of the United States should not be a close call —especially now that this court has recognized that federal immunity impacts what evidence can be considered, not just what conduct can form the basis for liability," the lawyers were quoted as saying.

However, prosecutors with the Fulton County District Attorney's Office counted that Meadows has not shown that his alleged acts were official in nature.

District attorney's office disputes Meadow's arguments

What's more, they disputed claims that allowing Meadows to be prosecuted in state court would create negative ramifications for other federal officials.

"His references to the overheated words of opinion editorials cannot suffice to demonstrate that a new era of ubiquitous prosecution of former federal officials is at hand," they asserted.

As the Associated Press pointed out, Meadow's plea to the Supreme Court came after a U.S. district judge and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previously ruled against him.

Meanwhile, a judge in Arizona also turned down Meadow's effort to have similar election-related charges in that state transferred to federal court.

Georgia appeals court considers whether to remove Willis from case

However, Meadows and his 15 remaining codefendants may yet get relief from a Georgia appeals court, which agreed earlier this year to consider arguments over whether Willis should be removed from their case.

At issue are allegations that the district attorney improperly benefited from her romantic relationship with fellow lawyer Nathan Wade.

Those complaints were originally raised as part of a motion filed in January by Ashleigh Merchant, an attorney who represents former Trump campaign staffer and White House aide Michael Roman.