Rudy Giuliani received notice of his indictment on Friday related to an alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes made the announcement on social media, stating that nobody is above the law. The summons served to Giuliani is a formal notice that he has been criminally charged and must appear before a judge. The Arizona attorney general’s office had been attempting to locate Giuliani for weeks prior to serving him.
The former New York City mayor was served with the indictment on his 80th birthday at a party in Palm Beach, Florida. Despite being served by two agents of the Arizona attorney general’s office, Giuliani appeared unfazed. His spokesperson, Ted Goodman, stated that Giuliani enjoyed the evening and looks forward to full vindication soon. The timing of the indictment during his birthday celebration upset many of the party guests, but Giuliani remained unaffected.
Giuliani tweeted a taunting message prior to his indictment, suggesting that if Arizona authorities couldn’t find him by the next morning, they must dismiss the indictment and admit they can’t count votes. However, hours later, he was formally served with notice of the indictment. Giuliani is expected to appear for an arraignment in Phoenix on Tuesday unless granted a delay by the court. He is among a group of former President Donald Trump’s allies indicted last month in Arizona.
The indictment accuses Giuliani of spreading false claims of voter fraud across the country after the 2020 election and encouraging Republican electors in contested states to vote for Trump-Pence. Former Trump lawyer John Eastman was the first defendant to appear in court and pleaded not guilty to charges related to allegedly participating in a conspiracy to overturn the election results in Arizona. Giuliani and the other defendants are also scheduled to appear in court in the coming weeks.
Giuliani’s legal troubles have been mounting, with the Arizona indictment being the latest in a series of legal challenges stemming from his time as Trump’s attorney after the 2020 presidential election. He filed for bankruptcy in December and was ordered to pay nearly $150 million to two former Georgia election workers for defamatory statements. Giuliani is also involved in Trump’s federal election subversion case, faces charges in the Georgia election subversion case, and is being sued for defamation by voting technology companies Dominion and Smartmatic.
Overall, Giuliani’s legal battles continue to escalate as he faces multiple indictments and lawsuits related to his actions following the 2020 election. Despite the challenges, Giuliani remains defiant and confident in his eventual vindication. The upcoming court appearances and legal proceedings will shed further light on the extent of his involvement in attempts to overturn the election results.
