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Arizona Judge Steps Aside in Fake Elector Case After Controversial Nazi Remark
An Arizona judge has recused himself from a contentious election interference case, following comments perceived to compare him and others to supporters of Adolf Hitler.
State Senator Jake Hoffman, a Republican from Queen Creek, faces nine charges including conspiracy, fraud, and forgery. These charges stem from his involvement in a document falsely awarding Arizona’s 11 electoral votes to Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Hoffman objected to an email sent by Maricopa County Judge Bruce Cohen, which criticized misogyny associated with Trump and his supporters.
In a motion for recusal filed on November 9, Hoffman’s attorney, Michael Colombo, argued that Judge Cohen’s email demonstrated bias, claiming that it jeopardized Hoffman’s right to a fair trial. The motion referenced the email in which Cohen criticized Trump’s rhetoric, stating that Hoffman was on trial for exercising his First Amendment rights. After sending the email, Cohen later issued an apology for allowing his emotions to influence his judgment.
Cohen drew parallels to the Nazi era, referencing an essay by Martin Niemoller about the dangers of remaining silent during oppressive times. He declared that it was “time for me to state my piece or be complicit in the depravity.”
Colombo obtained the email through a public records request initiated by a Republican lawmaker unrelated to the case and immediately addressed the implications of Cohen’s comments.
Colombo argued that even if Cohen could separate his views about Trump from the case, the appearance of impropriety would tarnish the proceedings. He also suggested that the office of the Attorney General, led by Kris Mayes, exhibits bias against Hoffman and the other 17 defendants involved in the case.
Richie Taylor, the communications director for the Attorney General’s office, rejected claims of political bias, criticizing Hoffman’s legal team for inflammatory rhetoric that he believes detracts from the case’s facts.
Cohen, who will conclude his term in January and did not seek retention this year, reiterated that his original email was meant to support the merit and exceptionalism of the judiciary in Maricopa County. He emphasized that the judges’ achievements were based on merit, not favoritism. His recusal, he stated, was solely out of a commitment to maintaining the court’s integrity.
Hoffman was indicted in April alongside 10 other Republican electors and notable Trump allies, including Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis. Ellis has accepted a plea deal and plans to cooperate with prosecutors. With Cohen’s recusal, all upcoming hearings are vacated, and the case will remain on hold until reassigned to a new judge.
