WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 19: Rudy Giuliani speaks to the press about various lawsuits related to the 2020 election, inside the Republican National Committee headquarters on November 19, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump, who has not been seen publicly in several days, continues to push baseless claims about election fraud and dispute the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. (Image: Getty)
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and nearly a dozen other allies of former President Donald Trump have pleaded not guilty to felony charges related to a “fake elector” scheme in Arizona.
The plot allegedly aimed to falsely declare Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential election in the state despite Joe Biden’s clear victory.
Giuliani, who once served as Trump’s personal attorney, appeared at the hearing remotely and without legal representation. His trial date was set for October. Despite his insistence that he was “capable of handling” the proceedings, the judge ordered Giuliani to appear in person within the next 30 days for booking procedures, which include a mugshot.
Additionally, Giuliani was required to post a $10,000 secured-appearance bond, a standard measure for defendants considered flight risks. This could prove challenging for the former mayor, who filed for bankruptcy last year after he lost a $148 million defamation lawsuit.
Among the other defendants who pleaded not guilty on Tuesday were Kelli Ward, the former chairwoman of the Arizona Republican Party, and her husband, Michael Ward. In total, 18 Republicans have been charged by the state of Arizona for their alleged role in the “fake electors” scheme.
The indictment alleges that the defendants submitted a document to Congress falsely claiming that they were Arizona’s true electors and would cast the state’s electoral votes for Trump despite Biden’s victory. This attempt to subvert the democratic process has finally drawn legal consequences.
While Trump himself has not been charged in the case, he is believed to be one of the unindicted co-conspirators listed in the sweeping indictment. Four other high-profile officials, including Trump’s former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, are expected to appear in court in June.
The legal battle over the 2020 election continues to unfold, and the Arizona case serves as the latest chapter in the ongoing efforts to hold accountable those who sought to undermine the will of the voters.
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