An Arizona grand jury indicted 18 Republicans for “falsely” declaring that Donald Trump beat Joe Biden in Arizona’s popular vote during the 2020 presidential election.
The Washington Post identified the indicted individuals as Rudy Giuliani, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward, lawyers Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, and Christina Bobb, campaign advisor Boris Epshteyn, former campaign aide Mike Roman, among others.
“In Arizona, and the United States, the people elected Joseph Biden as President on November 3, 2020. Unwilling to accept this fact, Defendants and unindicted coconspirators schemed to prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency to keep Unindicted Coconspirator 1 in office against the will of Arizona’s voters,” the indictment reads. This scheme would have deprived Arizona voters of their right to vote and have their votes counted.”
The “unindicted coconspirator 1” is Trump.
Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a video shared on X that Arizona’s election was “free and fair.”
“The scheme, had it succeeded, would have deprived Arizona’s voters of their right to have their votes counted for their chosen president. If effectively would have made their right to vote meaningless.”
“After the general election on November 2, 2020, the defendants and other unindicted co-conspirators raised false claims of widespread voter fraud in Arizona to pressure elections officials to change the outcome of a transparent, free, and fair democratic election,” Mayes added.
Prior to the indictment announcement, polls showed Trump up 5 points in the state of Arizona.
Poll shows Trump up 5 in Arizona.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 25, 2024
A few hours later…
Massive indictment against Trump world including the leader of the largest GOTV ballot chasing operation in the country.
They need to cheat to even make this election close.
Don’t give in.
Keep pushing.
Onward.
Those indicted have been charged with fraud, forgery, and conspiracy, according to a press release from Mayes’ office.
Ted Goodman, a spokesman for Giuliani, said the “continued weaponization of our justice system should concern every American as it does permanent, irrevocable harm to the country.”
The Republican Party of Arizona condemned the indictments.
“Today’s indictments by Attorney General kris Mayes represent a blatant and unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial power, aimed solely at distracting the public from the critical policy debates our country should be focusing on as we approach the 2024 election,” the organization wrote on April 24. “The timing of these charges–precisely four years after the 2020 election and as President Biden seeks re-election–is suspiciously convenient and politically motivated. This is not justice; it is pure election interference.”
“The Arizona Republican Party condemns these actions in the strongest terms. They do nothing but undermine the trust in our state’s legal processes and are clearly designed to silence dissent and weaponize the law against political opponents. We will not be deterred by this overreach. We will continue to stand for the principles of fairness and integrity that are the cornerstone of our Republic.”
Our official statement regarding AG Kris Mayes' politically motivated indictments and blatant abuse of legal authority aimed to disrupt, distract, and interfere in the 2024 election. pic.twitter.com/9WeC0wtQN0
— Republican Party of Arizona (@AZGOP) April 25, 2024
