ABC News: Mark Meadows received immunity to testify to special counsel in federal election subversion probe
Oct 25, 2023, 5:30 AM
Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, was granted immunity by special counsel Jack Smith and has met with federal prosecutors multiple times in the investigation of the efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, according to a report from ABC News. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images/File)
(Drew Angerer/Getty Images/File)
(CNN) — Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, was granted immunity by special counsel Jack Smith and has met with federal prosecutors multiple times in their investigation into the efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, according to a report from ABC News.
Meadows told investigators he did not believe the election was stolen and that Trump was being “dishonest” in claiming victory shortly after polls closed in 2020, according to ABC.
Meadows met with Smith’s team at least three times this year, ABC reported, and prosecutors were focused on his conversations with Trump following the election defeat.
The agreement is the first publicly known in the special counsel’s investigation into the events around January 6.
While the exact terms of Meadows’ deal with prosecutors are not clear, similar deals traditionally allow a person with knowledge about an ongoing investigation immunity from prosecution if they cooperate fully with investigators, including by giving testimony under oath.
CNN has reached out to Meadows’ attorney for comment.
Trump reacted to the report in a series of posts on Truth Social Tuesday night, saying he didn’t think Meadows would make any deal with prosecutors and denying his former chief of staff had told him that claims of widespread fraud were unfounded.
“Mark Meadows NEVER told me that allegations of significant fraud (about the RIGGED Election!) were baseless. He certainly didn’t say that in his book!” Trump said in one of the posts.
As CNN previously reported, Meadows was asked about efforts to overturn the election as well as Trump’s handling of classified documents during his testimony before a federal grand jury.
The former president has been charged with several counts related to alleged efforts to overturn the election results and has pleaded not guilty.
The special counsel has separately charged Trump with unlawfully keeping classified documents at his residence after leaving the White House. Meadows was also asked about Trump’s handling of classified information in front of the grand jury, though it is not clear whether his deal with prosecutors extends into the classified documents investigation.
Meadows was also asked about Trump’s reaction to the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol, ABC reported. In his testimony, Meadows corroborated accounts that Trump was hesitant to call on his supporters to stop acting violently, at one point even telling then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, “I guess these people are more upset than you are.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
