Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes revealed that one of the defendants in the state’s fake elector case has agreed to become a cooperating witness, and a significant announcement is expected to be made early next week. Mayes charged 18 people in April for attempting to overturn Arizona’s 2020 election results by implementing a slate of fake electors who would select former President Donald Trump as the winner of the state’s electoral count. The charges include fraud, forgery, and conspiracy, all felonies under state law. Many of the defendants include some of Trump’s closest allies, who also face charges in Georgia for similar accusations related to that state’s 2020 election results.
Former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, ex-Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and former Trump attorneys John Eastman and Jenna Ellis are among those charged in the Arizona case. Ellis has already pleaded guilty in the Georgia case and agreed to work with prosecutors as a cooperating witness. Two other defendants in the Georgia case also pleaded guilty and agreed to flip on Trump. Donald Trump is trying to have the district attorney, Fani Willis, removed from the Georgia case due to her relationship with former prosecutor Nathan Wade, delaying the indictment.
The Arizona Republican Party has condemned Mayes’ investigation as an abuse of legal authority and accused her office of attempting to disrupt, distract, and interfere with the 2024 election. They believe that these actions undermine trust in the state’s legal processes and are designed to silence dissent and weaponize the law against political opponents. Mayes, however, maintains that the defendants in the fake elector case attempted to undermine the will of Arizona’s voters and prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency following Biden’s victory over Trump by 10,000 votes in 2020.
Mayes emphasized that Arizona’s election was free and fair, and the people of Arizona elected President Biden. She stated that the defendants schemed to violate the law by attempting to overturn the election results, and as the Attorney General, she was elected to uphold the law of the state. Mayes is confident in the progress of the case, although additional information about the cooperating witness has not been disclosed. The announcement is anticipated to shed more light on the case and potentially provide new insights into the defendants’ actions and motivations.
While the case has faced criticism from state Republicans, who accuse Mayes of overstepping her legal authority, Mayes and her team are determined to pursue justice and uphold the law. The case involving fake electors is a significant and unprecedented one, involving several high-profile individuals close to former President Trump. By securing a cooperating witness and making progress in the investigation, Mayes aims to hold the defendants accountable for their actions and ensure that justice is served. The upcoming announcement is expected to be a key development in the case and could potentially reveal new details that alter the course of the prosecution.
