Former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks during a forum on November 14, 2022. Meadows was indicted in Arizona for his alleged efforts to keep former President Donald Trump in power.
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Former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks during a forum on November 14, 2022. Meadows was indicted in Arizona for his alleged efforts to keep former President Donald Trump in power.
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PHOENIX – An Arizona grand jury has indicted dozens of former President Donald Trump’s allies for their efforts to keep him in power after the 2020 election.
Eleven people who filed documents falsely claiming that Trump, not President Biden, won the state’s popular vote in 2020 are on the list Indictment. Seven others were indicted but their names were cleared.
Those seven include former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman.
NPR was able to identify them based on information contained in the indictment, such as a defendant “generally identified as ‘Mayor.'” Giuliani served as mayor of New York City.
The identities of the other defendants need to be confirmed. Based on a press release from Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, “[a]An unredacted version of the indictment will be made available after all defendants have been served.”
The indictment includes nine counts, including felony fraud, forgery and conspiracy.
“The people of Arizona have elected President Biden,” Mayes said in a video statement. “Unwilling to accept this truth, the defendants indicted by the state grand jury allegedly conspired to prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency.”
She added: “I will not allow American democracy to be weakened. It is too important.”
The indictment also cites five unindicted co-conspirators, including “a former president of the United States who spread false claims of election fraud after the 2020 election” – Trump – and former member of the Arizona Legislature.
Arizona is now the 4th state to be charged with “fake voters”
Then-Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward is seen at a rally on November 7, 2022 in Prescott, Ariz. Ward has now been indicted on state charges for her role as a so-called “false elector” for Donald Trump.
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Then-Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward is seen at a rally on November 7, 2022 in Prescott, Ariz. Ward has now been indicted on state charges for her role as a so-called “false elector” for Donald Trump.
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The indictment, which Mayes announced Wednesday, makes Arizona the fourth state where charges have been brought against individuals involved in a so-called “fake voter” scheme that sought to sabotage the victory. of Biden before Trump.
Prosecutor in Georgia, Michigan And Nevada charged individuals allegedly participating in similar schemes in those states. In another rotation state, Wisconsinfake voters admitted their role as part of civil settlements.
The group of fake electors charged in Arizona includes several influential Republicans, including incumbent state Sens. Jake Hoffman and Anthony Kern. Former Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward, former party Executive Director Greg Safsten and RNC Commissioner Tyler Bowyer also signed documents forwarded to the federal government. Bowyer is also the executive director of Turning Point USA, an Arizona-based right-wing advocacy group founded by Trump ally Charlie Kirk.
The others indicted were Nancy Cottle, James Lamon, Robert Montgomery, Samuel Moorhead, Lorraine Pellegrino and Michael Ward.
Hoffman quickly responded to the allegations, saying in a statement: “Let me be clear, I am innocent of any crime, I will vigorously defend myself, and I look forward to the day I am exonerated for this naked political persecution by the judiciary.” progress.”
AG Mayes urged patience with the allegations
The indictments mark a major step forward in the investigation that began a year ago after Mayes, a Democrat elected attorney general in 2022 by just 280 votes, took office at the beginning of the year. 2023.
Some Democrats criticized Mayes for the pace of that investigation, which largely took place behind closed doors as grand juries in other states indicted people accused of participating in the scheme fake election.
But Mayes urged patience, pointing out that she took office after many officials pursued cases in other states. Her predecessor, Republican Mark Brnovich, did not investigate the matter.
“The investigators and attorneys assigned to this case spent the necessary time piecing together the thorough details of the events that began nearly four years ago,” Mayes said in the video.
However, there are signs that the case is heating up in recent months. In December, investigators met with Kenneth Chesebro, the former Trump attorney who headed the sham election scheme. pleaded guilty to felony charges in Georgia.
Trump himself also has to face it charges in Georgiaas well as Meadows, Giuliani and Eastman, among others.
The Arizona indictment comes as Trump faces a jury in a money-related case in New York City. Trump is the first former president to be charged with a criminal offense.
