Attorney John Eastman has been indicted for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Arizona. He pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges of conspiracy, fraud, and forgery related to his supposed efforts to challenge the election outcome.
Eastman, accused of creating a plan to convince Congress not to certify the election, was the first of 18 individuals charged in Arizona’s fake elector case to be arraigned. Outside the courthouse, Eastman denied any wrongdoing and expressed confidence in his eventual exoneration. He stated he had no communication or involvement with Arizona electors or litigation.
Electors are selected in each state to officially cast the state’s electoral votes in the U.S. Electoral College System during presidential elections. Arraignments for 12 others involved in the case, including nine of the 11 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress declaring Donald Trump the winner in Arizona, are scheduled for May 21.
The indictment alleges that Eastman encouraged Republican electors to vote on December 14, 2020, and spread false claims of election fraud. It also claims he unsuccessfully pressured lawmakers to alter the election outcome and met with then-Vice President Mike Pence to persuade him to reject Democratic electors during the January 6, 2021 vote count.
The “fake electors” scheme involved alternate electors from seven states where Joe Biden was declared the winner, who pledged to support Trump by casting their votes on December 14, 2020. While Trump is not charged, he is referred to as “unindicted co-conspirator 1” in the documents.
Charges against former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani have not been publicly announced, and authorities have not been able to serve him notice. Mark Meadows, Trump’s former chief of staff, is scheduled for arraignment on June 7.
In 2023, Eastman faced racketeering and conspiracy charges in Georgia for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election results there, to which he also pleaded not guilty. He is named as an indicted co-conspirator in a federal indictment against Trump for actions leading up to the January 6 Capitol incident.
Arizona is the fourth state where Trump’s allies have been indicted over claims of election fraud. The 11 Republican electors from Arizona signed a certificate on December 14, 2020, declaring Trump the winner, which was ignored by Congress and the National Archives. Each of the 11 faces nine felony counts.
One of the eight lawsuits challenging Arizona’s election outcome was filed by an alleged fake elector, seeking to de-certify the results, which was dismissed due to a lack of factual support. Attempts to serve Giuliani with notice have been unsuccessful, according to Richie Taylor, spokesman for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office.
