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Eleven Republicans have been indicted by a grand jury in Arizona and charged with conspiracy, fraud and forgery for falsely claiming that former President Trump had won the state in 2020 over then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
“I will not allow American democracy to be undermined,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a Wednesday video announcing the indictments over the “fake elector scheme.”
She added, “The investigators and attorneys assigned to this case took the time to thoroughly piece together the details of the events that began nearly four years ago. They followed the facts where they led, and I’m very proud of the work they’ve done today.”
She added that the co-conspirators were “unwilling to accept” that Arizonans voted for President Biden in an election that was “free and fair” and “schemed to prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency.”
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Former Arizona Chairwoman Kelli Ward was among those charged Wednesday as a “fake elector” for Trump. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
The defendants include former chair of the Arizona Republican Party Kelli Ward, sitting state Sens. Jake Hoffman and Anthony Kern and an unindicted co-conspirator described as”a former president of the United States who spread false claims of election fraud following the 2020 election,” a clear reference to Trump.
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Former President Donald Trump was listed – without being named – as an unindicted co-conspirator. (Probe-Media for Fox News Digital)
In December 2020, the defendants wrote on a certificate sent to Congress that they were “duly elected and qualified”electors for Trump, claiming he had won the state.
Seven others were indicted but had their names redacted, pending charges being served.
Arizona State Sen. Anthony Kern was among the 11 alleged “fake electors” charged. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
Some outlets reported that former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Rudy Giuliani and were also unindicted co-conspirators along with Trump.
George Terwilliger, a lawyer representing Meadows, told Fox News he had not yet seen the indictment.
“If Mr. Meadows is named in this indictment; it is a blatantly political and politicized accusation and will be contested and defeated,” he said.
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Alleged “fake electors” have also been charged in Georgia, Michigan and Nevada.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
