Giuliani, Meadows among 18 indicted in case over 2020 election in Arizona (2024)

PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona grand jury has indicted former Donald Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows and lawyer Rudy Giuliani along with 16 others in an election interference case.

The indictment released Wednesday names 11 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring that Donald Trump beat Joe Biden in Arizona in the 2020 presidential election. It shows seven other defendants whose names were not immediately released because they had not yet been served with the charges.

The Associated Press was able to determine the identities of the unnamed defendants based on their descriptions in the indictment.

One is described as an attorney “who was often identified as the Mayor” and spread false allegations of election fraud, a description that clearly describes Giuliani. Another is described as Trump’s “chief of staff in 2020,” which describes Meadows.

“I will not allow American democracy to be undermined,” Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a video released by her office. “It’s too important.”

  • Giuliani, Meadows among 18 indicted in case over 2020 election in Arizona (1)
  • Giuliani, Meadows among 18 indicted in case over 2020 election in Arizona (2)
  • Giuliani, Meadows among 18 indicted in case over 2020 election in Arizona (3)
  • Giuliani, Meadows among 18 indicted in case over 2020 election in Arizona (4)
  • Giuliani, Meadows among 18 indicted in case over 2020 election in Arizona (5)
  • Giuliani, Meadows among 18 indicted in case over 2020 election in Arizona (6)

The 11 people who had been nominated to be Arizona’s Republican electors met in Phoenix on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign a certificate saying they were “duly elected and qualified” electors and claiming that Trump carried the state.A one-minute videoof the signing ceremony was posted on social media by the Arizona Republican Party at the time. The document was later sent to Congress and the National Archives, where it was ignored.

Biden won Arizona by more than 10,000 votes. Of theeight lawsuitsthat unsuccessfully challenged Biden’s victory in the state, one was filed by the 11 Republicans who would later sign the certificate declaring Trump as the winner.

Their lawsuit asked a judge to de-certify the results that gave Biden his victory in Arizona and block the state from sending them to the Electoral College. In dismissing the case, U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa said the Republicans lacked legal standing, waited too long to bring their case and “failed to provide the court with factual support for their extraordinary claims.”

Days after that lawsuit was dismissed, the 11 Republicans participated in the certificate signing.

The Arizona charges come after a string of indictments against fake electors in other states.

In December, aNevada grand jury indicted six Republicanson felony charges of offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument in connection with false election certificates. They havepleaded not guilty.

Michigan’s Attorney General in Julyfiled felony chargesthat included forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery against 16 Republican fake electors. One had charges dropped after reaching a cooperation deal, and the 15 remaining defendants havepleaded not guilty.

Three fake electors also have been charged in Georgiaalongside Trumpand others in a sweeping indictment accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally overturn the results. They havepleaded not guilty.

In Wisconsin, 10 Republicans who posed as electorssettled a civil lawsuit, admitting their actions were part of an effort to overturn Biden’s victory. There isno known criminal investigation in Wisconsin.

Trump also was indicted in August in federal court over the fake electors scheme.The indictment statesthat when Trump was unable to persuade state officials to illegally swing the election, he and his Republican allies began recruiting a slate of fake electors in battleground states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — to sign certificates falsely stating he, not Biden, had won their states.

In early January, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said that state’s five Republican electors cannot be prosecuted under the current law. In New Mexico and Pennsylvania, fake electors added a caveat saying the election certificate was submitted in case they were later recognized as duly elected, qualified electors. No charges have been filed in Pennsylvania.

In Arizona, Mayes’ predecessor, Republican Mark Brnovich, conducted an investigation of the 2020 election, but the fake elector allegations were not part of that examination, according to Mayes’ office.

In another election-related case brought by Mayes’ office, two Republican officials in a rural Arizona county who delayed canvassing the 2022 general election results face felony charges. Agrand jury indictedCochise County Supervisors Peggy Judd and Tom Crosby in November on one count each of conspiracy and interference with an election officer. Bothpleaded not guilty.

The Republicans facing charges are Kelli Ward, the state GOP’s chair from 2019 until early 2023; state Sen. Jake Hoffman; Tyler Bowyer, an executive of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA who serves on the Republican National Committee; state Sen. Anthony Kern, who was photographed in restricted areas outside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack and is now a candidate in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District; Greg Safsten, a former executive director of the Arizona Republican Party; energy industry executive James Lamon, who lost a 2022 Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat; Robert Montgomery, chairman of the Cochise County Republican Committee in 2020; Samuel Moorhead, a Republican precinct committee member in Gila County; Nancy Cottle, who in 2020 was the first vice president of the Arizona Federation of Republican Women; Loraine Pellegrino, president of the Ahwatukee Republican Women; and Michael Ward, an osteopathic physician who is married to Kelli Ward.

None of the 11 responded to either phone, email or social media messages from The Associated Press on Wednesday seeking comment.

Giuliani, Meadows among 18 indicted in case over 2020 election in Arizona (2024)

FAQs

Is Arizona a swing state? ›

This year's group of swing states is therefore smaller. The list includes Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University and law professor at University of Minnesota.

Is Arizona a red or blue state? ›

The state has traditionally gone Republican in presidential elections. Except for Bill Clinton's win in 1996, Arizona voted Republican from 1952 through 2016. However, that 2016 election saw Donald Trump win by a narrower margin than other recent GOP nominees and in 2020 Joe Biden won the state by 0.3%.

Who did Arizona vote for president in 2020? ›

Biden ultimately won the state by some 10,000 votes over Trump, a 0.3% margin, marking the first time a Democratic presidential nominee carried Arizona since Bill Clinton in 1996, and only the second time since Harry S.

Who won the Arizona election in 2020 Wikipedia? ›

Arizona was represented by 11 electors in the electoral college. Joe Biden won the state with 49% of the popular vote.

What percent of Arizona is Republican? ›

As of January 2023, Arizona's registered voters include 1,443,142 Republicans (34.7%), 1,270,613 Democrats (30.5%), 32,961 Libertarians (0.8%), and 1,415,020 "Other" (34.0%).

What are the 5 swing states in the US? ›

Areas considered battlegrounds in the 2020 election were Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maine's 2nd congressional district, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin, with Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and ...

Is Phoenix Democrat or Republican? ›

Share this chart:
Party affiliationMenWomen
Republican/lean Rep.57%43%
Democrat/lean Dem.43%57%

Is Arizona a good state to live? ›

People move in Arizona for its sunny weather, abundant recreational opportunities, strong job market, and cultural richness. The state boasts warm weather year-round, a lower cost of living than many coastal areas, and stunning natural beauty with deserts, mountains, and the Grand Canyon.

Did Arizona used to be Republican? ›

Since the 1952 presidential election, Arizona has been considered a stronghold state for the Republican Party, as it won Arizona in all elections since except 1996 and 2020.

Is Texas a red or blue state? ›

However, that changed in 1980, and Texas has sided with the Republicans ever since. Having a Bush on the ticket each election from 1980 through 2004 (except 1996) helped make Texas a reliably “red” state. In 2020, Donald Trump won the state by 6.5% over Joe Biden, the narrowest margin since 1996.

Is North Carolina red or blue? ›

In the three presidential elections since 2008, Indiana and North Carolina went back to supporting Republicans.

Is South Carolina red or blue? ›

Trump carried South Carolina by a margin of 11.68%, down from his 14.27% margin four years earlier. Prior to this election, all 12 news organizations considered this a state Trump would win, or a red state. South Carolina was the only East Coast state in 2020 to vote Republican by a double-digit margin.

Who won the 2020 election Democrats or Republicans? ›

The Democratic Party's nominee, former vice president Joe Biden, defeated incumbent Republican president Donald Trump in the presidential election. Despite losing seats in the House of Representatives, Democrats retained control of the House and gained control of the Senate.

Who did Arizona vote for in 2000? ›

Voters chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Arizona was won by Governor George W. Bush by a 6.3 point margin of victory. Ralph Nader received 3%, whilst all of the other candidates received a combined 1%.

Who is the governor of Arizona now? ›

Seeing her home state at a critical turning point, Governor Hobbs made the decision to run for Governor, and in 2022 was elected the fifth woman, and also fifth Arizona native, to lead the state. With over a decade of public service, Governor Hobbs sees her role in government as a continuation of her social work.

Is Arizona a good place to live? ›

Yes, moving to Arizona can be a good idea, with stunning scenery, abundant sunshine, and a booming job market, it's a popular choice. However, you should also take into account the extreme heat and dry climate as potential downsides.

Is Las Vegas in the swing state? ›

Nevada is one of the six or seven swing states likely to determine the election.

How many electoral votes does Arizona get? ›

Arizona voters will see at the top of their ballot the candidates running for presidential, their vice-presidential running mate, and the names of their 11 electors. Arizona has a winner take all allocation, meaning whichever candidate receives the highest number of votes receives all 11 electoral votes.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Moshe Kshlerin

Last Updated:

Views: 6215

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Moshe Kshlerin

Birthday: 1994-01-25

Address: Suite 609 315 Lupita Unions, Ronnieburgh, MI 62697

Phone: +2424755286529

Job: District Education Designer

Hobby: Yoga, Gunsmithing, Singing, 3D printing, Nordic skating, Soapmaking, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Moshe Kshlerin, I am a gleaming, attractive, outstanding, pleasant, delightful, outstanding, famous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.