Attorney General Announces 18 Indicted in Trump-Related 2020 Fraud Arizona Election Scheme

An Arizona grand jury indicted 18 people Wednesday Ongoing investigation Allegedly trying to use Option Selector The state was part of an alleged conspiracy to falsely claim victory for then-President Donald Trump after the 2020 presidential election, the state’s attorney general announced.

Alleged so-called fraudulent voters and defendants include Kelly Ward, Tyler Bower, Nancy Cottle, Jacob Huffman, Anthony Cohen, James Ramone, Robert Montgomery, Seth Muir Moorhead, Lauren Pellegrino, Gregory Safstein and Michael Ward.

Huffman and Cohen are both senators from Arizona. Huffman has spent the past few weeks vying for a position at the Republican National Committee.

Huffman said in a statement to the Arizona Republic that he is “not guilty of any crime” and “I look forward to the day when the judicial process vindicates me for this blatant political persecution.”

Ramon’s attorney also told the Arizona Republic that the indictment is a “politically motivated case.”

Arizona Attorney General Chris Mayes, a Democrat, said the names of the other defendants have been redacted from court documents because they have not yet been served. However, some can be identified by descriptions in court documents.

The indictment describes Trump as “accused co-conspirator No. 1.” Trump has repeatedly called such trials “witch hunts.”

“An attorney for unindicted Coconspirator 1 is often referred to as ‘the mayor,’” Rudy Giuliani opined. The documents also appear to describe an attorney, Jenna Ellis, who worked with Giuliani to help spread unfounded claims of massive voter fraud.

Another unidentified defendant was Trump’s 2020 chief of staff, Mark Meadows. Another unnamed defendant is a title for the Trump campaign’s Election Day director of operations, Mike Roman.

George Terwilliger, an attorney representing Meadows, told The Associated Press that while he had not seen the complaint, naming Meadows would be a “clearly political and politicized complaint that will be challenged and will fail.”

Ted Goodman, a political adviser to Giuliani, told The Associated Press that the indictment shows “the continued weaponization of our justice system.”

The Arizona Republican Party called the charges a “brazen and unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial power” and said it “condemns these actions in the strongest terms possible.”

Charges filed include forgery, forgery and conspiracy, all level 2, 4 and 5 felonies, Mace said.

Arizona was one of seven states Trump lost in 2020 where allies of the former president tried to create fraudulent voter registration lists.

The indictment states that the defendants were “unwilling to accept” the fact that Biden had won the 2020 presidential election and “conspired to prevent the lawful transfer of the President” by making false allegations of election fraud and organizing false electoral votes.

Court documents say the alleged fraud was intended to prevent “the lawful transfer of the President of the United States,” “to allow Trump to remain in power against the will of Arizona voters and to deprive Arizona voters of their right to vote and have their votes counted.” ” explained.

Arizona is charged Trump and 18 associates are indicted Fulton County, Georgia, has been indicted on racketeering, election fraud and other charges stemming from allegations of rigging the 2020 presidential election with a backup elector scheme. Accused complaint Some protesters asked lawmakers to appoint new electors in states other than Georgia, including Arizona.

Last August, The former president is accused A federal grand jury indicted for attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The charges stem from special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s post-election conduct in 2020. Citing a memo outline Trump supporters have used a trick to act as fake voters.

The former president has denied any wrongdoing in both cases.

——Katherine Watson, Scott McFarland and Olivia Rinaldi contributed reporting.