By Andrew Goudsward
(Reuters) – Former Donald Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani was ordered to post $10,000 bond in Arizona on Tuesday after he reportedly evaded authorities’ attempts to serve him court documents accusing the former New York mayor of trying to undermine the 2020 election.
Appearing by telephone during a court proceeding, Giuliani criticized what he called a “completely political case” as he pleaded not guilty to charges that he conspired to falsely claim Arizona’s electoral votes for Trump after Trump’s narrow loss to the Democratic Party. President Joe Biden.
A Maricopa County judge, Shellie Smith, ordered Giuliani to travel to Arizona within 30 days to post bail.
Giuliani is one of 18 defendants in the case brought by Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and one of 11 who made their first court appearance on Tuesday. All pleaded not guilty.
The other 10 defendants were released without bail, but prosecutors sought another arrangement for Giuliani, saying they had difficulty contacting him after charges were filed.
Prosecutors argued that Giuliani was trying to evade authorities, pointing to a since-deleted post on
An agent from the Arizona attorney general’s office finally helped Giuliani on Friday as he left his 80th birthday party in Florida.
“He has shown no intent to comply with Arizona legal process in this case,” prosecutor Nicholas Klingerman said.
Giuliani, who does not yet have an attorney in the case, disputed that he had “hid from anyone.” He said he restricted access to his New York apartment due to security concerns.
“I consider this charge to be a complete disgrace to the American justice system, but I have shown no inclination not to comply,” Giuliani said as the judge tried to silence him.
Giuliani and the other defendants face conspiracy, fraud and forgery charges over their efforts to assemble a slate of Arizona voters who have pledged to support Trump, an effort to undermine the certification of the 2020 election.
Trump, a Republican who will face Biden in November’s presidential election, continues to falsely claim his defeat was the result of fraud. Trump faces two upcoming criminal trials on election subversion charges.
Smith set a trial date of Oct. 17, just weeks before the Nov. 5 election. Trump has not been charged in the Arizona case.
Former Trump attorney Christina Bobb and former Arizona Republican Chairman Kelli Ward also appeared in court Tuesday. John Eastman, who advised Trump on a plan to derail the January 6, 2021, election certification, pleaded not guilty on Friday.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone and Leslie Adler)
