Trump ally Mark Meadows turns himself in after Georgia election indictment

By NPR's Washington Desk

Published August 24, 2023 at 6:55 PM EDT

This booking photo provided by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office shows Mark Meadows in Atlanta Thursday, after he surrendered and was booked.

Updated August 24, 2023 at 3:21 PM ET

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Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has turned himself in to face charges as part of the racketeering case targeting former President Donald Trump and his allies for attempting to subvert Georgia's 2020 election results.

Meadows was on the infamous call — detailed in the indictment — in which Trump urged state election officials to find the votes he'd need to win.

Meadows, a former North Carolina congressman, also traveled to Georgia at one point to try and gain access to a state audit of absentee ballot envelopes.

Meadows faces two felony counts in the indictment.

He's sought to move the case to federal court. Federal law allows federal officers to remove some criminal prosecutions brought by states to the federal court system. If Meadows' effort is successful, the Fulton County district attorney's office would still prosecute the case and state laws would still be at issue, but a federal judge would preside and the jury would come from a broader geographical area in Georgia.

Trump says he will be booked in Atlanta later on Thursday.