Read the unredacted indictment in Arizona Republican fake elector investigation
May 20, 2024, 10:45 AM
Eleven defendants met on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign a certificate falsely claiming they were “duly elected and qualified electors” and that Trump won in Arizona. (AZGOP Photo)
(AZGOP Photo)
PHOENIX — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on Monday released the unredacted indictment in the case where 18 high-profile suspects are accused of taking part in a Republican fake elector scheme in the state.
The 58-page indictment details plans where Republicans allegedly met and submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Donald Trump as the president following the 2020 election.
The scheme allegedly took place in seven states during the 2020 election, all of which were won by President Joe Biden.
READ THE INDICTMENT HERE:
What did the people indicted in fake elector scheme investigation do?
Eleven defendants in the indictment are Kelli Ward, Tyler Bowyer, Nancy Cottle, Jacob Hoffman, Anthony Kern, James Lamon, Robert Montgomery, Samuel Moorhead, Lorraine Pellegrino, Gregory Safsten and Michael Ward.
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They met on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign a certificate falsely claiming they were “duly elected and qualified electors” and that Trump won in Arizona. The Arizona Republican Party posted video of the signing to social media that day.
Several of those indicted are high-profile members of the GOP. Kelli Ward was the Arizona Republican Party chair at the time, Hoffman and Kern are current state senators and Lamon ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2022.
Hoffman is chairman of the Senate Elections Committee, and Kern leads the Judiciary Committee. Hoffman’s position makes him a gatekeeper for virtually all election-related legislation.
Who else was indicted in Arizona fake electors case?
Seven others connected with Trump were indicted.
They are former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows; attorneys Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis and Christina Bobb; campaign adviser Boris Epshteyn; and former campaign aide Mike Roman.
Eastman was the first to appear in court for the case, pleading not guilty to a litany of charges on Friday.
Arraignments are scheduled May 21 for 12 of the other people charged in the case, including nine of the 11 Republicans who had submitted the document to Congress.
Giuliani was the final defendant served with his indictment.
All 18 defendants face nine charges, each related to conspiracy, fraudulent schemes and forgery.
