Case of fraudulent electors in Arizona: Suspects want to drop charges

PHOENIX – A judge heard arguments on Monday in a Phoenix Courtroom on the dismissal Accusations against Republicans who signed a document falsely claiming Donald Trump won Arizona in the Election 2020 and others who are accused of plotting to overturn the outcome of the presidential election.

A total of 18 Republicans were charged with forgery, fraud and conspiracyThe defendants include 11 Republicans who filed a document falsely claiming Trump won Arizona, two former Trump associates and five lawyers with ties to the former president, including Rudy GiulianIwhose lawyer says the charges against him should be dropped because he has done nothing criminal.

Attorney Mark Williams said Giuliani was exercising his right to free speech and petition the government. “How would Mr. Giuliani know that, oh my God, he was presiding over a meeting in downtown Phoenix,” Williams asked sarcastically. “How would he know that this is a crime?”

Williams also told a judge, “This is a prosecution brought by a Democratic prosecutor, and they are trying to construct a crime when there is no crime.”

“I will not introduce any political elements into these legal issues, except in relevant cases,” the judge replied.

Although he was not one of the alleged voter fraudsters in Arizona, the indictment alleges that Giuliani pressured Maricopa County officials and state lawmakers to change the outcome of the Arizona election and encouraged Republican electors in the state to vote for Trump in mid-December 2020.

Accusations against the state

At least a dozen defendants are seeking to have the case dismissed under an Arizona law that prohibits the use of meritless lawsuits to silence critics. The law has long provided protection in civil cases but was changed by the Republican-led Legislature in 2022 to cover people who face most criminal charges.

The case was moved to a larger courtroom for Monday's hearing. During the hearing, the attorney for Jim Lamon, one of the alleged election fraudsters, argued that the charges against his client should be dropped.

“It was a contingent list of candidates. That's the crux of the matter,” said Dennis Wilenchik. “The state refuses to listen. They cover their ears and don't want to hear about it.”

Wilenchik said there is a voting deadline and the document must be signed in case the court orders a recount.

“This was not an illegal plan hatched behind a bar and grill,” Wilenchik said. “This was out in the open, it was clear it was never hidden. This was the plan.”

Prosecutors, meanwhile, argue that the true intention lies in the document.

“If your whole position is, 'I'm only submitting this because it's an emergency and I happen to win a legal challenge that happened in the Arizona election,' that's different than suing the vice president. [Mike] Pence is expected to say, “We submitted these votes and you should accept them,” Crystal Wick said. “So this is not simply a matter of bringing a complaint to court. It is part of a larger plan to overturn the valid election results.”

Negotiation date set

The hearing date was set for January 5, 2026.

In the meantime, the cases of two defendants have been settled.

Jenna Ellis, a former Trump campaign lawyer who worked closely with Giuliani, signed a cooperation agreement with prosecutors that led to the dismissal of her charges. Republican activist Loraine Pellegrino was also the first convicted person in the Arizona case, when she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to probation.

The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty.

president Joe Biden won Arizona with 10,457 votes. one minute video of the signing ceremony was posted on social media by the Arizona Republican Party at the time. The document was later sent to Congress and the National Archives, where it was ignored.

Michigan prosecutors, Nevada, Georgia And Wisconsin have also filed criminal charges in connection with the fraud scheme. Arizona authorities revealed the charge of a crime End of April.