In a dramatic turn of events, former US President Donald Trump's White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in the state of Georgia. This comes as Trump and 18 other allies are accused of attempting to subvert the 2020 election results. On Tuesday, Meadows joined Trump and the other co-defendants in waiving a formal arraignment, effectively skipping the court hearings that had been scheduled for this week in Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta.

This strategic move allows Trump and his co-accused to avoid the media frenzy and potential clashes between supporters and detractors that would have likely ensued during the arraignment hearings on Wednesday. As Trump, who remains the Republican Party's frontrunner for the 2024 presidential race, and his co-defendants stand charged with trying to overturn the 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia, the avoidance of the high-profile arraignment ensures a more controlled environment for the accused.

The Georgia case marks the second indictment against Trump for election interference and the fourth set of criminal charges he has faced this year. The gravity of the charges cannot be understated, as Trump and his co-defendants are accused of orchestrating a "criminal enterprise" in their efforts to thwart the certification of the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.

Joining Meadows in pleading not guilty on Tuesday were Trump-allied attorney John Eastman and Cathy Latham, former GOP chair for Coffee County and a member of the Georgia Republican Party's executive committee. All three waived their arraignment hearings, further solidifying their united front against the charges brought against them.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who had already pleaded "not guilty" last week, also waived his arraignment hearing, which had been scheduled for Wednesday morning. Trump's surrender at a local jail on August 24 and subsequent release on $200,000 bond underscore the gravity of the charges he faces.

Notably, Meadows has been diligently attempting to have his case removed from Georgia and transferred to the federal court system. He argues that he was merely carrying out his duties as a federal official during the alleged scheme. Last week, Meadows took the witness stand in an effort to bolster his argument and denied two of the allegations levied against him in the Georgia indictment.

Unlike the federal trials Trump faces, the proceedings in Georgia will be televised, ensuring that the public will have front-row access to the legal proceedings. However, a trial date has yet to be set, leaving the accused and the public in suspense as they await the next steps in this high-profile case that could have far-reaching implications for the former president and his allies.