Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes confirmed that Rudy Giuliani has been indicted in connection to the 2020 election case involving former President Trump. Giuliani is the 18th defendant charged in the state’s fake electors case, facing charges including conspiracy, fraud, and forgery. The indictment alleges that Giuliani pressured Arizona legislators and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to change the outcome of the election and encouraged Republican electors in Arizona and other states to vote for Trump. The unredacted copy of the indictment is set to be released on Monday, and Giuliani is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
Giuliani’s political adviser confirmed that he was served with the indictment after his 80th birthday celebration. Giuliani, who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $148 million for spreading false information about the 2020 election, has expressed confidence in his full vindication. Other prominent figures, including Mark Meadows, Trump’s former White House chief of staff, have also been indicted in the case. Meadows and Giuliani were not initially named in the redacted grand jury indictment but were identified based on descriptions in the document.
The indictment of Giuliani and his associates makes Arizona the fourth state where allies of the former president have faced charges related to false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election. Among the defendants are 11 Arizona Republicans who submitted documents declaring that Trump won in Arizona, as well as individuals involved in organizing an attempt to use fake documents to persuade Congress not to certify Biden’s victory. Trump himself was not charged in this case but was described as an unindicted co-conspirator.
Giuliani faces multiple legal challenges, including a bankruptcy case and another indictment in Georgia. A bankruptcy judge expressed concern over the handling of the case and missed deadlines for financial disclosure reports. Giuliani’s bankruptcy filing came after being ordered to pay $148 million to two former election workers for spreading allegedly false information. The attorney general’s office in Arizona has confirmed that Giuliani and Meadows are facing the same charges as other defendants in the case, including fraud, forgery, and conspiracy charges.
Giuliani has maintained his innocence and confidence in a full vindication, despite the legal challenges he faces in Arizona and other states. The indictment of Giuliani and other allies of former President Trump highlights the continuing legal fallout from the 2020 election and the false claims of voter fraud that were promoted by Trump and his supporters. The release of the unredacted indictment on Monday will provide further insight into the specific allegations against Giuliani and his co-defendants, with a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday unless a delay is granted.
