Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Wednesday that the state has indicted 11 individuals known as fake electors for their alleged attempts to undermine the 2020 presidential election. Among the individuals involved in the scheme are associates of former President Donald Trump, including Rudy Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. The 11 fake electors have been charged with conspiracy, fraud, and forgery, with seven additional names, including Giuliani, Meadows, former Trump lawyers Jenna Ellis and John Eastman, being redacted in the filing.
Former White House aide Boris Epshteyn, who is still close to Trump, is also among the redacted names in the indictment. The individuals involved in the scheme are accused of trying to illegally award Arizona’s electoral votes to Trump instead of President Joe Biden by submitting an alternate slate of electors to Congress for certification. Biden had won the state by a margin of 10,457 votes in the 2020 election. The wording of the indictment suggests that an individual identified as “Unindicted Coconspirator 1” is Trump, although he has not been charged in this case.
Arizona is now the fourth state to seek charges against fake electors, following Michigan, Georgia, and Nevada. Giuliani, Meadows, Ellis, and Eastman were previously accused of subverting the election in Georgia last year and faced legal challenges. Ellis pleaded guilty to conspiring to overturn Trump’s loss in Georgia, while Giuliani, Meadows, and Eastman pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. A California judge recently ruled that Eastman should be disbarred from practicing law over his involvement in the Georgia case, which included multiple counts of conspiracy to commit forgery and filing false documents among other allegations. Trump has not been charged in any of the fake elector probes but is currently facing legal challenges related to election interference in Georgia and federal charges accusing him of election interference.
The indictment in Arizona highlights the ongoing legal battles surrounding the 2020 election and efforts to subvert the democratic process. The involvement of individuals close to Trump, including Giuliani and Meadows, adds another layer of complexity to the case. The charges against the fake electors and their associates are significant as they underscore the importance of upholding the integrity of elections and ensuring that democratic processes are safeguarded against manipulation.
The indictment in Arizona comes at a time when Trump is facing multiple legal challenges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The case against the fake electors and their associates, including prominent figures like Giuliani and Meadows, is likely to attract national attention and further fuel debates about election integrity and the rule of law. As the legal proceedings unfold, the public will be closely watching to see how the case progresses and what implications it may have for future elections in Arizona and beyond.
