Whether or not former President Donald Trump’s RICO trial is actually televised to the public may wind up depending on former Trump administration official Mark Meadows, according to a new report.
The report comes following the decision Thursday by Georgia Judge Scott McAfee to have the RICO trial broadcast publicly.
“A Fulton County judge on Thursday said that all court proceedings in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants will be live streamed and televised,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The decision led to mass celebration among leftists:
Clearing my schedule ….
— Mary Barry (@mbbands) September 2, 2023
I am so glad they are allowing this. Let the American people hear the truth!
— Tyler Cook (@tylercook4) September 2, 2023
Excellent….his hangers on will see what fools they have been voting for him.
— Linaire McRae (@mcrae_lina32293) September 2, 2023
Good
Trump doesn’t want maga republicans to hear or see what will come out of this hearing .— Chris garcia (@C_Garcia014) September 1, 2023
Should be interesting… pic.twitter.com/PQ5F12iJ5k
— John the Gnerphk (@Gnerphk) August 31, 2023
The problem for giddy leftists is that if former Trump-era chief of staff Mark Meadows gets his way, there will absolutely be no televised trial.
As previously reported, Meadows has been trying to convince a judge to allow him to move his case from Fulton County, which is a far-left jurisdiction, and into federal court.
“Mr. Meadows is entitled to remove this action to federal court because the charges against him plausibly give rise to a federal defense based on his role at all relevant times as the White House Chief of Staff to the President of the United States,” his attorneys wrote in a filing last month, according to Axios.
Here’s where things get interesting. First, the judge agreed to hear Meadows’ arguments. And second, Trump is reportedly expected to mount “a similar effort” if Meadows is successful. And third, and most importantly, if Trump’s own effort is successful, there will be no livestreaming of the trial.
Why? Because federal district courts “disallow[] … proceedings from being televised or even photographed,” Rolling Stone magazine notes. But whether or not this would be good for Trump remains unclear.
“It is entirely possible that Mr. Trump thrives in the media circus that would surround a livestreamed criminal trial and further solidify his standing among Republican candidates for president,” Michael O’Neill of the Landmark Legal Foundation told the Washington Examiner.
This appears to be what Trump’s attorneys think will happen.
“I personally would love to see” the trial televised, attorney John Lauro told Fox News’ Shannon Bream in August after special counsel Jack Smith asked a judge to issue a protective order/gag order against Trump, according to The Hill.
“I’m convinced the Biden administration does not want the American people to see the truth. And they acted on it by filing this protective order, which is an effort to keep important information about this case from the press,” he said.
“I’m shocked actually that all the networks haven’t lined up and filed pleadings already objecting to this very broad attempt by the Biden administration to keep information away from the American people during the election season. The American people have a right to know, of course, Joe Biden doesn’t want that to happen,” he added.
Joe Biden allegedly doesn’t want that to happen …
Obama-appointed judge issues Trump protective order but doesn’t go as far as Jack Smith wanted https://t.co/9psHZ4uMCs pic.twitter.com/AskBnNJxeS
— BizPac Review (@BIZPACReview) August 15, 2023
Congressional Democrats for their part do. Last month, 38 House Democrats penned a letter to Roslynn Mauskopf, the secretary of the Judicial Conference of the United States, encouraging her to televise any Trump proceedings that occur in federal court.
“Given the historic nature of the charges brought forth in these cases, it is hard to imagine a more powerful circumstance for televised proceedings,” they wrote, according to ABC News.
“If the public is to fully accept the outcome, it will be vitally important for it to witness, as directly as possible, how the trials are conducted, the strength of the evidence adduced and the credibility of witnesses,” they added.
As for Trump’s attorneys, their current desire for his cases to be televised is admittedly a reversal from their previous plea.
“Attorneys for Trump previously argued in New York that TV cameras in the courtroom would create a ‘circus-like atmosphere’ as well as security concerns. The judge in the case sided with them, barring cameras for his arraignment back in April,” ABC New notes.
“But, in an apparent reversal, Trump attorney John Lauro said last month the first thing he would ask the judge for is cameras in the courtroom if charges were brought with respect to an alleged election interference case,” according to ABC News.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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