In a significant development, an Arizona grand jury has indicted former Donald Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and 16 others, including 11 Arizona Republicans, in an election interference case. The indictment alleges that the individuals conspired to submit false documents to Congress, falsely declaring that Trump beat Joe Biden in Arizona in the 2020 presidential election.
Among the indicted is Rudy Giuliani, who is described as an attorney who spread false allegations of election fraud and often identified as the Mayor. Another indicted individual is Mark Meadows, identified as Trump’s chief of staff in 2020.
The charges stem from a meeting held by the 11 Arizona Republicans on December 14, 2020, where they signed a certificate falsely claiming that Trump carried the state. The document was then sent to Congress and the National Archives, but was ignored as Biden had won Arizona by over 10,000 votes.
The Arizona charges follow a pattern of indictments against false electors in other states, including Nevada, Michigan, and Georgia. In August, Trump himself was indicted in federal court over the fake electors scheme.
The Arizona Attorney General, Kris Mayes, emphasized the importance of holding accountable those who undermine American democracy. The investigation into the 2020 election conducted by Mayes’ predecessor, Republican Mark Brnovich, did not include the fake elector allegations.
In a related election-related case brought by Mayes’ office, two Republican officials in rural Arizona face felony charges for delaying the canvassing of the 2022 general election results.
