The probe into the alleged "fake electors" in Arizona is picking up steam, with recent moves signalling a possible nearing of charges. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, the Democrat leading the investigation, has stayed mum about the specific direction of the probe. Still, grand jury subpoenas issued to various figures linked with Donald Trump's 2020 campaign suggest a tightening net, as first reported by Politico.
Allegations center on a December 2020 event known as "The Signing," where a cohort of 11 Republicans, including then-Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward, convened to sign documents falsely stating they were the state's rightful electors for Trump. In a Twitter post by the Republican Party of Arizona from December 2020, amidst ongoing legal challenges, the act was branded as "imperative." According to a detailed account by ABC15, the case was tossed by a judge who cited a lack of "relevant or reliable evidence."
This probe isn't isolated; it's part of a larger series of investigations and charges spanning Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia. All defendants have pleaded not guilty in the other states, with some striking plea deals, such as in Georgia where several co-defendants, including Trump, face a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts related to overturning the election results. Arizona seems poised to soon join the fray as Mayes’ team is probing the depths of the false elector scheme, with a focus on "alternate electors" and their fraudulent claims.
Further, sharp insights into the pressure perhaps exerted by notable figures within Trump's circle are coming to light, tying in Trump's former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and attorneys like John Eastman and Kenneth Chesebro – the latter already cooperating with investigative efforts in a clutch of states and agreeing to an interview with Arizona prosecutors, as per Politico. Notably, ABC15 also highlighted pressures faced by then-Gov. Doug Ducey and then-House Speaker Rusty Bowers from Trump and his allies, resisting unlawful interventions.
The flurry of activity signals an understated yet robust investigation by Mayes, with potential ripples reaching individuals deep into Trump's campaign apparatus and beyond. As Arizona pivots toward new political landscapes, underscored by its shift in 2020 presidential election results and closely-contested races like that of Mayes, the outcome could have implications leading into the 2024 electoral showdown. George Terwilliger, Meadows' lawyer, critiqued the state-level focus, "The fiasco in Georgia demonstrates what happens when state officials take it upon themselves to police federal matters," signaling the nuanced battle over jurisdiction and political stratagem afoot in the desert state.
