An Arizona grand jury has issued a sweeping indictment against former Trump administration officials and prominent Arizona Republicans over a 2020 election interference case, intensifying the legal scrutiny on efforts to undermine the democratic process following the last presidential election.
The indictment names former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows and attorney Rudy Giuliani, along with 11 Arizona Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring Donald Trump as the victor of Arizona’s electoral votes in the contentious 2020 election. Seven other defendants, not immediately named due to outstanding service of charges, have been linked to the case through descriptions that align with their known roles and public profiles. Among the unindicted co-conspirators, the indictment identifies “a former president of the United States who spread false claims of election fraud following the 2020 election”—a clear reference to Donald Trump.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes did not mince words, stating, “I will not allow American democracy to be undermined. It’s too important.” The charges in question include fraud, forgery, and conspiracy, marking a steadfast commitment to legal recourse in the face of attempts to delegitimize a presidential election.The purported fake electors convened in Phoenix on December 14, 2020, to sign a document asserting themselves as Arizona’s 11 electors to the Electoral College, despite Biden’s 10,457-vote victory in the state and the certification of his electors by state officials. The state’s Republican Party recorded the certificate signing in a social media post and shared it with Congress and the National Archives.
This case is emblematic of a larger trend of legal actions against so-called “fake electors.” Prosecutors in Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada have already charged individuals accused of participating in similar schemes in those states. In Wisconsin, fake electors admitted to their roles as part of civil settlements.
The 11 Republicans facing charges in Arizona include prominent GOP figures like Kelli Ward, former chair of the Arizona GOP, state Sens. Jake Hoffman and Anthony Kern, as well as Tyler Bowyer, an executive at Turning Point USA and a member of the Republican National Committee.
The Arizona charges follow thorough investigative efforts, highlighting AG Mayes’ approach compared to her predecessor, who did not address the fake elector allegations. The case’s foundation was strengthened through discussions with key individuals such as Kenneth Chesebro, a lawyer who admitted guilt in Georgia for conspiracy to file false documents and has assisted in various investigations related to the elector strategy.
Relevant articles:
– Trump’s 2020 ‘fake electors’ charged with state crimes in Arizona, nbcnews.com, 04/25/2024
– Meadows, Giuliani and other Trump allies charged in Arizona 2020 election probe, The Washington Post, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:49:43 GMT
– Meadows, Giuliani, 11 ‘fake electors’ from 2020 are among those indicted in Arizona, NPR, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 23:52:43 GMT
– Arizona indicts 18 in case over 2020 election in Arizona, including Giuliani and Meadows, The Associated Press, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 23:31:00 GMT
– Arizona grand jury indicts Trump allies including Giuliani over 2020 fake elector scheme, The Guardian US, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 23:38:00 GMT