Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters on October 26, 2020 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to allow former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to move the election interference case against him in Georgia to federal court, where he would have argued that he had immunity from prosecution.

The justices did not detail their reasoning in a brief order rejecting his appeal, as is typical. There were no publicly noted dissents.

Meadows was one of 19 people indicted in Georgia and accused of participating in an illegal scheme to keep then-President Donald Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump was also charged, although after winning re-election last week passed for a second term it seems unlikely that a trial will take place, at least while he is in office. Both men have denied wrongdoing.

Attorney George Terwilliger said Meadows will continue to maintain his innocence in state court and hopes to obtain an exoneration.

It is unclear what effect the election results could have on other defendants in the case, which is largely on hold after an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. for her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead. the case.

Meadows had gone to the Supreme Court in an effort to remove the charges from Georgia courts. He maintains that the case belongs in federal court because it relates to his duties as a federal official. He pointed to the Supreme Court ruling granting Trump broad immunity from criminal prosecution to support his argument.

“A White House chief of staff facing criminal charges based on actions related to his work for the president of the United States should not be a difficult decision, especially now that this court has recognized that federal immunity affects evidence that can be considered, not just what conduct can form the basis of liability.” their lawyers wrote.

But prosecutors said Meadows did not demonstrate that he was performing official duties during the alleged scheme, which included participating in a phone call in which Trump suggested that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger could help. “find” votes he needed to win the state.

They argued that the case should remain in Georgia courts and that Meadows can raise federal defenses there. Prosecutors also rejected the claim that the charges could have ripple effects on other federal officials.

“Your references to the heated words of op-eds cannot be sufficient to demonstrate that a new era of ubiquitous prosecution of former federal officials is approaching.” the government lawyers wrote.

A spokesman for Willis declined to comment on Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision.

A U.S. district judge and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the case against Meadows and some of his co-defendants should remain in state court. A federal judge also refused to move an Arizona false elector case against him to federal court.

Four people have already pleaded guilty in the Georgia election case after reaching deals with prosecutors. The remaining 15, including Trump and Meadows, pleaded not guilty.

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Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report.