2020 election

Mayes Seeks DOJ’s Insights on Trump Case to Target Arizona’s Fake Electors

Published

1 month ago

01/13/2025

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Mayes wants DOJ’s Trump election interference case file to help prosecute AZ fake electors

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has renewed her request for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide her office with the case file and report from special counsel Jack Smith’s inquiry into Donald Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election results.

In a letter dated Sunday, Mayes argued that the information from the DOJ’s investigation is essential for prosecuting the 18 individuals indicted in Arizona’s controversial “fake elector” scheme. This request follows Smith’s submission of his investigative report on Trump, which occurred shortly before he resigned from the DOJ just days before Trump’s inauguration.

The DOJ had previously dropped its election interference case against Trump after he won the presidential race in November, thereby withdrawing allegations related to his attempts to overturn the election results. In April, a grand jury in Arizona indicted 18 individuals involved in efforts to undermine the electoral process after Democrat Joe Biden secured a narrow victory by about 10,000 votes.

Mayes’ current request comes at a time when the DOJ’s case against Trump is considered inactive, and she expressed hope that the impending release of Smith’s report would yield useful insights. She emphasized that some of the indicted individuals, including all 11 Arizona “fake electors,” had signed false documents claiming Trump’s victory based on what they alleged were directives from his campaign.

“Today, my office has one of the only remaining cases that include charges against national actors,” Mayes stated in her letter, reaffirming her commitment to holding those accountable who sought to subvert democracy in 2020. She believes that access to Smith’s file could be crucial in both prosecuting and potentially exonerating those involved.

Mayes specifically requested the complete disclosure of Smith’s investigative materials, including any incriminating or exculpatory evidence. She noted that a Maricopa County judge had previously acknowledged that Mark Meadows, Trump’s former Chief of Staff indicted in the Arizona case, required certain documents for his defense.

The individuals indicted as part of Arizona’s fake elector case include notable figures such as: