Arizona prosecution of fake electors

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Arizona v. Ward
CourtArizona Superior Court in and for the County of Maricopa
Full case nameState of Arizona v. Kelli Ward, et al.
Docket nos.CR2024-006850 (93 SGJ 81)[1]
Charge
List of charges
  • Conspiracy
  • Forgery
  • Fraudulent schemes and artifices
  • Fraudulent schemes and practices

State of Arizona v. Kelli Ward, et al. is a state criminal prosecution concerning the Trump fake electors plot in Arizona. The eighteen defendants, including eleven Arizona Republican officials and seven Donald Trump associates, are accused of producing and attempting to use a certificate of ascertainment to falsely claim Trump had won the state's electoral votes in the 2020 U.S. presidential election in Arizona.[2][3] The eleven fake electors included former Arizona Republican Party chair Kelli Ward, who allegedly led ten other Republicans in signing the fraudulent certificate. The indictment contains nine criminal counts, including felony fraud, forgery and conspiracy.

Background

Further information: Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election

Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election in Arizona, gaining all eleven electoral votes in the state.

On December 14, 2020, the Arizona fake electors gathered for what they called "The Signing" of a certificate of ascertainment falsely asserting Trump had won the state's electors. The Arizona Republican Party posted video of the signing on Twitter that day.[4][5] The certificate was then sent to Congress and the National Archives, but it was not accepted.[6]

In 2021, Maricopa County ballots were audited by Arizona Republican senators to search for fraud that might show Trump had won Arizona. No fraud was found.[7]

Arizona Republican attorney general Mark Brnovich did not investigate the matter.[8] His successor, Democrat Kris Mayes, took office in January 2023. She examined the fake elector scheme, initially focusing the investigation on actions in Phoenix. In October 2023, Kenneth Chesebro began cooperating with investigators in election interference cases after he pleaded guilty in the Georgia prosecution. Arizona investigators interviewed him in December, and he provided information that allowed Mayes to target Trump allies from out of state who participated in the Arizona scheme.[9]

In addition to the Georgia prosecution, Michigan and Nevada have also sought charges against fake electors, making Arizona the fourth state to do so as part of a broader Trump fake electors plot.[9][10][11]

Defendants

Eleven fake electors were charged, as were seven Trump allies.[12]

Fake electors

Trump aides

Unindicted coconspirators

The indictment describes five unindicted coconspirators but does not name them, although Trump is known to be among them.[3]

Charges

The defendants are charged with nine counts of conspiracy, fraud, and forgery (all felonies) from the approximate date range of the November 3, 2020 election through the electoral vote certification on January 6, 2021.[1]

  • Count 1, class 2 felony of conspiracy: Conspiring with others "known and/or unknown"
  • Count 2, class 2 felony of fraudulent schemes and artifices: Knowingly benefiting from any fraud designed for "preventing the lawful transfer of the presidency of the United States, keeping President Donald J. Trump in office against the will of Arizona voters, and depriving Arizona voters of their right to vote and have their votes counted"
  • Count 3, class 5 felony of fraudulent schemes and practices: Concealing facts or making false statements related to both Trump/Pence certificates "filed by the Arizona Republican electors with the Arizona Secretary of State"
  • Count 4, class 4 felony of forgery: Forging a Trump/Pence certificate "filed by the Arizona Republican electors with the President of the United States Senate"
  • Count 5, class 4 felony of forgery: Forging the first of two Trump/Pence certificates "filed by the Arizona 8 Republican electors with the Arizona Secretary of State"
  • Count 6, class 4 felony of forgery: Forging the second of two Trump/Pence certificates "filed by the Arizona Republican electors with the Arizona Secretary of State"
  • Count 7, class 4 felony of forgery: Forging the first of two Trump/Pence certificates "filed by the Arizona Republican electors with the Archivist of the United States"
  • Count 8, class 4 felony of forgery: Forging the second of two Trump/Pence certificates "filed by the Arizona Republican electors with the Archivist of the United States"
  • Count 9, class 4 felony of forgery: Forging a Trump/Pence certificate "filed by the Arizona Republican electors with the Chief Judge of the Federal District Court for the District of Arizona"

The indictment alleges that, from the day after the 2020 election, Trump allies began discussing a fake elector scheme to change the election results. This challenges a claim typically made by Republicans that the slate of pro-Trump electors was merely an "alternate" option in the event that the election results were challenged.[9]

The indictment also alleges that local Republicans in Arizona in November meanwhile tried to cast doubt on the validity of the election results, and that on November 30, 2020, Giuliani and Ellis came to Phoenix to speak to Rusty Bowers.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Arizona v. Ward - Indictment" (PDF). Washington Post. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Hakim, Danny; Haberman, Maggie (April 24, 2024). "Arizona Charges Giuliani and Other Trump Allies in Election Interference Case". The New York Times.
  3. ^ a b c d Billeaud, Jacques; Kelety, Josh; Cooper, Jonathan J. (April 24, 2024). "Arizona indicts 18 in case over 2020 election in Arizona, including Giuliani and Meadows". Associated Press News.
  4. ^ Morgan Loew; Cody Lillich (July 26, 2022). "Arizona's 'fake elector' plot focus of federal criminal investigation". KTVK.
  5. ^ "The Signing". Republican Party of Arizona. December 14, 2020.
  6. ^ Billeaud, Jacques; Kelety, Josh; Cooper, Jonathan J. (April 24, 2024). "Arizona indicts 18 in case over 2020 election in Arizona, including Giuliani and Meadows". Associated Press News.
  7. ^ Cooper, Jonathan; Christie, Bob (April 7, 2022). "Arizona AG letter offers no proof of 2020 election fraud". Associated Press. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  8. ^ Schutsky, Wayne (April 26, 2024). "Meadows, Giuliani, 11 'fake electors' from 2020 are among those indicted in Arizona". National Public Radio.
  9. ^ a b c d Wingett Sanchez, Yvonne (April 24, 2024). "Meadows, Giuliani and other Trump allies charged in Arizona 2020 election probe". The Washington Post.
  10. ^ Durkee, Alison (December 6, 2023). "'Fake' Pro-Trump Electors Indicted In Nevada". Forbes. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  11. ^ Brangham, William; Schmitz, Ali (December 7, 2023). "Nevada charges pro-Trump fake electors accused of attempting to overturn 2020 election". PBS NewsHour.
  12. ^ Barchenger, Stacey (April 24, 2024). "Grand jury indicts fake electors who falsely certified Donald Trump as 2020 winner in Arizona". Arizona Republic.
  13. ^ "Tyler Bowyer". Turning Point USA. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Lerner, Kira (January 31, 2022). "Trump's fake electors: Here's the full list". Louisiana Illuminator.
  15. ^ Sanchez, Yvonne. "Jim Lamon is the first Republican to enter Arizona's 2022 Senate race". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
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