Mark Meadows pleads not guilty in Georgia election interference case, waives arraignment

Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a sweeping election interference case in Georgia involving former President Trump.

Meadows also waived his arraignment scheduled for Wednesday, when he was set to hear the charges against him and enter a plea before a judge.

“I fully understand the nature of the offenses charged and my right to appear at arraignment,” Meadows wrote in the court filing. “Understanding my rights, I do hereby freely and voluntarily waive my right to be present at my arraignment on the Indictment and my right to have it read to me in open court.”

Trump’s former chief of staff faces two charges in Georgia, where he and 18 co-defendants are accused of entering a criminal conspiracy to keep Trump in the White House after he lost the 2020 presidential election.

The defendants face a combined 41 charges, including under the state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which is designed to combat organized crime. 

Just one of the 19 defendants, then-Coffee County, Ga., election supervisor Misty Hampton, has not entered a plea in the case. Hampton’s charges stem from an election equipment breach in Coffee County. Her arraignment is set for 3 p.m. EDT.

Judge Scott McAfee, who is presiding over the case, previously said the defendants could formally waive their arraignment within 48 hours of Wednesday’s court date. Meadows’s waiver, which was filed Tuesday morning, falls after that deadline. Because of that, it’s unclear whether McAfee will accept the waiver, forcing Meadows to appear for his arraignment regardless.