Arizona Grand Jury Indicts Trump Aides, Giuliani, and Fake Electors
Indictments Related to Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election
PHOENIX, Ariz. (AP) - An Arizona grand jury on Wednesday indicted former President Donald Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows, lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and 16 other people, including so-called fake electors who backed Trump in the 2020 presidential election. The indictments come as part of an ongoing investigation into efforts to overturn the election results.
Meadows, who served as Trump's final White House chief of staff, is accused of conspiring to interfere with the election by attempting to pressure state officials to overturn the results. Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, is accused of participating in a scheme to send false electoral certificates to Congress in an attempt to declare Trump the winner.
The indictments also include 16 individuals who served as "fake electors" in seven states. These individuals signed false electoral certificates claiming that Trump had won in their states, despite the fact that he lost both the popular vote and the Electoral College vote. The use of fake electors was part of a broader effort to undermine the legitimacy of the election.
The indictments are a significant development in the ongoing investigations into the events of January 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the election results. The grand jury's findings could lead to criminal charges against Trump and other individuals involved in the effort to overturn the election.
Mark Meadows' Defense Rebuffed by Supreme Court Justice
In a related development, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal from Meadows, who was seeking to assert a "just following orders" defense in a lawsuit related to his role in the effort to overturn the election. Justice Clarence Thomas, considered a conservative, dissented from the Court's decision, arguing that Meadows was entitled to have his case heard.
The Supreme Court's decision is a setback for Meadows and could have implications for other Trump allies who are seeking to use the "just following orders" defense in legal proceedings related to the events of January 6.
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