Former President Donald Trump’s associates, including Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff, and attorney Rudy Giuliani, faced indictments in Arizona on Wednesday. The charges stemmed from their involvement in attempts to overturn Trump’s 2020 electoral defeat in the state.
According to The New York Times, an Arizona grand jury has issued charges against a total of 18 defendants. Among them, 11 individuals were identified as fake electors. The charges include felony counts of conspiracy, fraud, and forgery. Additionally, the former president, Donald Trump, who is already facing criminal charges in Georgia and federal charges related to alleged attempts to undermine the 2020 election, is mentioned as “unindicted co-conspirator 1.”
Arizona has joined the ranks of states that have brought election interference cases against the Trump campaign’s activities in 2020. The 58-page indictment marks the fourth state to take legal action, with only Georgia charging more than the false electors enlisted by the campaign in the states Trump lost.
According to former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, the indictment is justified, but the process should not have taken this long. He believes that as a result, the case will now be pushed to the back of the line in terms of priority among other criminal cases.
“It is quite surprising that it took three-and-a-half years to charge the case, to say the least,” he remarked, emphasizing that the allegations involve similar fraudulent conduct related to the fake electors scheme that other jurisdictions have already pursued indictments for.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, in a recorded statement, acknowledged concerns regarding the delay in the indictment. According to Georgia State University law professor Anthony Michael Kreis, the responsibility for this delay lies with her GOP predecessor, Mark Brnovich.
“I know that for some of you, today’s outcome may have felt like a long time coming, and I am aware that there will be critics who question the necessity of this investigation,” stated Mayes, a Democrat who was elected in 2022, emphasizing the 13-month duration of the investigation. “However, I want to reiterate my unwavering commitment to protecting American democracy. Its significance cannot be understated.”
According to the indictment, the defendants are accused of attempting to undermine Arizona’s election results by pressuring officials responsible for certifying the results. The Attorney General has alleged that they sought to influence the Maricopa Board of Supervisors and the governor to change the outcome of the election.
While the charging document redacts the names of seven defendants, their identities can still be inferred from the context and descriptions provided. For instance, the document refers to one individual as “the mayor,” clearly alluding to former New York City Mayor Giuliani.
Among those indicted are Boris Epshteyn, a key legal strategist for the former president, as well as Mike Roman, a 2020 Trump campaign operative, John Eastman, the architect of the fake-electors scheme, and two other lawyers who were involved with Trump’s presidential campaign: Jenna Ellis and Christina Bobb.
Rahmani expressed astonishment at Trump evading charges in the case, stating, “The most surprising aspect is that you either believe he’s involved in the scheme or not. In fact, he is the one who gains the most from the conspiracy. So, why wouldn’t you hold him accountable?”
According to Kreis, there could be several reasons why Mayes did not pursue charges against the former president. One possible factor is that it was an election year, with Trump as the likely Republican nominee. Mayes may have wanted to avoid the complications that would come with joining Trump’s other ongoing criminal cases. Additionally, she may have been waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity, in order to have a stronger and cleaner prosecution.
Legal experts have also observed the noticeable absence of Trump-aligned lawyer Kenneth Chesebro from the list of defendants, which has led to speculation that he may be cooperating with prosecutors. Chesebro, who played a key role in the fake electors plot, has drawn attention due to his exclusion from the list.
Several former top officials of the Arizona Republican Party, including Kelli Ward, a former state party chairwoman, and Greg Safsten, who served as the executive director of the state party in 2020, are among the individuals charged with being false electors. State Senators Anthony Kern and Jake Hoffman have also been charged.
According to the Times, a total of 35 individuals who pretended to be electors in four crucial swing states – Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada – are now facing criminal charges. These individuals have been accused of signing certificates that falsely declared Donald Trump as the winner of the electoral votes in their respective states.
Giuliani, Meadows, Eastman, and Roman are now facing charges in both Georgia and Arizona. Ellis, on the other hand, reached a plea deal with Georgia prosecutors last fall.
According to Rahmani, the defendants could potentially face state prison time. However, he believes that Giuliani and Eastman are now facing significant legal consequences.
According to Rahmani, Giuliani is currently facing numerous legal challenges. He has been sued and there is a defamation judgment against him. Additionally, Giuliani is facing issues related to his law license. Notably, he is also charged in the Georgia case. To add to his troubles, reports suggest that Giuliani is facing financial difficulties.
According to Rahmani, Eastman is currently facing state bar issues in California and has been disgraced. While some may see this as adding to his troubles, Rahmani believes that it is a justified case, as Eastman and his colleagues attempted to defraud the people of Arizona.
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Late Wednesday, Charles Burnham, the lawyer for Eastman, and Ted Goodman, the spokesman for Giuliani, expressed their dissatisfaction with the prosecution of their clients to the Times.
“The increasing concern over partisan lawfare is a troubling phenomenon,” Burnham expressed. “Professor Eastman is not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing in Arizona or elsewhere, and he will vigorously defend himself against these charges, just as he has done in response to previous unjust accusations.”
According to Goodman, the weaponization of our justice system is a cause for concern among all Americans, as it inflicts lasting and irreversible damage to the country.
According to Rahmani, the indictment holds little significance for Donald Trump, as he is expected to choose not to testify and will not be present for the case.
He stated that perhaps it adds a bit more tarnish to Donald Trump’s reputation, but he questioned how much dirtier can the former president become. He pointed out that although Trump is not directly named in the lawsuit, it seems to be a continuation of the same pattern of behavior for him.
According to an analysis of the indictment by NYU law professor Ryan Goodman on Just Security, the potential for Trump to regain the presidency does not provide any relief for his advisors and allies. This could potentially motivate them to cooperate with authorities.
According to Goodman, the prosecutions of the fake electors and Trump associates will continue even if Trump wins in November, as a president does not have the power to pardon state crimes. On the other hand, there is a strong possibility that Trump will be considered immune from state and local prosecution.
According to Goodman, co-defendants and co-conspirators could find themselves in a difficult situation. This realization might prompt some of them to collaborate with law enforcement sooner rather than later.
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