Rudy Giuliani and Others Indicted Over Arizona 2020 'Fake Electors' Plan

An Arizona grand jury indicted 18 allies of former President Donald Trump Wednesday night over an alleged “fake electors” scheme from after the 2020 election. 

The Details: Those indicted reportedly include former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, as well as Boris Epshteyn, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman and Christina Bobb. The names of Giuliani and others remain redacted in the indictment as they have not yet been served their charges. Trump, while not charged, was implicitly referred to as an “unindicted coconspirator” in the indictment. The charges — including felony charges ranging from conspiracy to commit fraud and forgery — allege that the group guided 11 people, who were also indicted, to fraudulently pose as Arizona’s electors and submit electoral votes for Trump, despite then-candidate Joe Biden winning the state by 10,457 votes.

Key Quote: Discussing the indictment, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) said, “Whatever their reasoning was, the plot to violate the law must be answered for, and I was elected to uphold the law of this state.” 

For Context: The charges are the culmination of a year-long investigation into the fake electors scheme in Arizona. It is the latest in a series of legal troubles for Giuliani, who also faces multiple criminal charges related to the 2020 election. 

How the Media Covered It: While much of Thursday morning’s coverage was similar across the spectrum, some right-rated outlets highlighted Mayes’ involvement, and a writer in Slate (Left bias) noted the absence of Trump and Trump ally Kenneth Chesebro as “conspicuous.” This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology