In a recent statement, Chris Christie, a Republican presidential candidate, voiced his belief that former President Trump is headed for conviction in one of his ongoing legal cases. Christie’s prediction comes in the wake of a significant development: Mark Meadows, former White House chief of staff, was granted an immunity deal in one of these cases. During an interview on MSNBC, Christie confidently asserted, “It’s over” for Trump.
Christie emphasized the closeness of Meadows to Trump throughout the 2020 campaign and the subsequent post-campaign period. He described this development as “deadly” and asserted that Trump’s conviction is now a near certainty. Christie reiterated this belief during an appearance on “Morning Joe,” where he stressed the upcoming courtroom confrontation where Meadows, once a key Trump ally, will testify that Trump committed crimes in his presence.
The legal troubles facing Trump began in August when federal prosecutors charged him with alleged attempts to subvert the 2020 election’s results after losing. Meadows, although not charged in the case led by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, faced legal action in Georgia. He was accused of participating in an alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state.
Mark Meadows agreed to an immunity deal with Smith, enabling him to testify before a grand jury in the election interference case taking place in Washington, D.C. This development was first reported by ABC News and indicated that Meadows provided testimony on at least three separate occasions.
As a former federal prosecutor, Christie expressed doubt about Trump’s ability to delay his legal battles, even as he pursues a presidential campaign. Christie suggested that the district court judge in Washington is unlikely to accommodate delays. He further speculated that Jack Smith purposefully indicted only Trump in the Jan. 6 case, citing Judge Tanya Chutkan’s reluctance to grant delays.
Christie noted the presence of six unindicted co-conspirators in the case, explaining that this decision wasn’t due to a lack of belief in their criminal involvement but rather a lesson learned from a separate federal case against Trump in Florida. This case revolved around Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving the White House.
The immunity deal granted to Mark Meadows caused Christie to express deep concern for Trump’s legal situation. He strongly opposed this development, stating, “You don’t give Mark Meadows immunity unless the evidence he has is unimpeachable.”
Throughout his campaign, Chris Christie has been one of Trump’s most vocal critics, even encouraging other Republican candidates to follow his lead. Despite the mounting legal challenges faced by Trump, including a fourth criminal case in New York relating to alleged hush money payments, he maintains a significant lead in the Republican presidential primary, with recent polling by Morning Consult showing him with 61 percent of the Republican primary vote, compared to Christie’s 3 percent support.
