What happened
An Arizona grand jury on Wednesday indicted 18 people on felony charges related to a 2020 scheme to reverse former President Donald Trump's loss in the state, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) said. The indictment charges the 11 Arizona Republicans who signed certificates falsely claiming to be "duly elected and qualified" presidential electors plus seven close Trump allies, including Mark Meadows and Rudy Giuliani. Trump is identified as "unindicted coconspirator 1."
Who said what
"The scheme, had it succeeded, would have deprived Arizona's voters of their right to have their votes counted for their chosen president," said Mayes, elected in 2022. "I understand for some of you today didn't come fast enough, and I know I'll be criticized by others for conducting this investigation at all," but "I will not allow American democracy to be undermined."
The commentary
Similar fake electors in Michigan, Georgia and Nevada "have already been charged for their role in the sweeping effort to keep Trump in power," the Arizona Republic said. Trump was also charged in Georgia and in a federal indictment, and Arizona's case "cries out for an explanation of how Trump's two key agents — Giuliani and Meadows" — were indicted but Trump wasn't, Ryan Goodman said at Just Security.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
As these cases "slowly make their way through the legal system, Trump is again running for president, and officials in Arizona and other battleground states are preparing for another likely contentious election," The Washington Post said.
-
Israel: Losing the American publicFeature A recent poll finds American support for Israel's military action in Gaza has fallen from 50% to 32%
-
Unmaking Americans: Trump aims to revoke citizenshipFeature Trump is threatening to revoke the citizenship of foreign-born Americans. Could he do that?
-
Trump: Redesigning the White HouseFeature Donald Trump unveiled a $200 million plan to build a White House ballroom
-
Texas gerrymander battle spreads to other statesFeature If Texas adopts its new electoral map, blue states plan to retaliate with Democrat-favored districts
-
Trump hikes tariffs despite economic warning signsFeature Donald Trump signed an executive order raising import taxes to the highest level in over a century, as U.S. job growth continues to lag
-
Why is Trump attacking Intel's CEO?Today's Big Question Concerns about Lip-Bu Tan's Chinese connections
-
Trump sends FBI to patrol DC, despite falling crimeSpeed Read Washington, D.C., 'has become one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world,' Trump said
-
DHS preps for major ICE expansion, rankling local law enforcementIN THE SPOTLIGHT As the Trump administration positions ICE as the primary federal police force, its recruitment efforts have been met with a less-than-enthusiastic response
