Former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani and 17 others, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, have been charged in Arizona with illegally attempting to claim the state’s 2020 electoral votes for the then-US president. The indictment, which was unsealed on Wednesday, alleges that the defendants pressured the Maricopa Board of Supervisors, the Arizona Legislature, and then-Governor Doug Ducey to change the election results. The defendants, who include 11 individuals named in the indictment and seven others whose names are redacted, are accused of submitting false electoral certificates for Trump.
Trump, who is named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the indictment, has denied any wrongdoing and has called the charges a political witch hunt. Giuliani’s spokesperson has also criticized the prosecution, calling it an example of the continued weaponization of the justice system.
The indictment is part of a growing number of criminal cases related to the fake elector scheme, in which Trump allies sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Similar charges have been brought in Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada, and the scheme is also a central focus of the federal investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the election.
The charges against Giuliani, Meadows, and the other defendants are serious, and if convicted, they could face significant prison sentences. The case is expected to receive widespread attention and could further damage Trump’s reputation and political future.
In addition to Giuliani and Meadows, other notable defendants in the case include Trump lawyer Christina Bobb and former Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward. The indictment also alleges that two former members of the Arizona legislature and two former lawyers for the Trump campaign were involved in the scheme.
The Arizona indictment is a significant development in the ongoing investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The charges against Giuliani, Meadows, and the other defendants are serious, and the case is likely to have a major impact on Trump’s political future.
