The Republican efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election were multifaceted, but one of the standout partisan tactics was the bogus voter scheme: Republican officials and operatives in key states created forged election materials and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate, among others . and the American archivist, as if the materials were legitimate. There were not.
Although the relevant players did not know it at the time, the controversy has become one of the most consequential political scandals in a generation, increasing the number of indictments not seen since Watergate and Iran-Contra.
For example, consider this week’s developments.
Last fall, Kris Mayes, Arizona’s Democratic attorney general, told CNN that her office was overseeing a “robust” investigation into alleged criminal misconduct in the bogus voter system. Apparently she wasn’t kidding: NBC News reported that her office had filed a series of new criminal charges in the case, including conspiracy, fraud and forgery.
The former president is described in the indictment as ‘Unindicted Coconspirator 1’.
As the NBC News report added, the indictment also detailed a number of prominent Republican figures who have been charged in the case but have not yet served time and whose names are redacted, including Meadows, Giuliani, Epshteyn, former Trump campaign and White House . official Mike Roman, former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis, former Trump lawyer Christina Bobb and John Eastman.
While there have been other charges in the fake voter scandal, the Arizona charges represent the first brush with legal jeopardy for some of these Republican figures.
Also charged yesterday in the Grand Canyon State were former Arizona GOP Chairman Kelli Ward and Tyler Bowyer, the Arizona committeeman for the Republican National Committee and the chief operating officer of Trump-affiliated Turning Point USA.
All this news coincided with news out of Michigan, where several Republicans were indicted last summer in the fake voter scandal, and where an official from the Michigan Attorney General’s office, Dana Nessel, confirmed yesterday that Trump, Meadows and Giuliani were not -indicted co-conspirators. the prosecutor’s case.
For those keeping score, let’s count the number of charges currently pending in the multi-jurisdictional fake voter scandal:
Arizona: 18 people have been charged, including 11 fake voters and seven Trump aides.
GeorgiaInitially, 19 people were charged, including Trump, although some have since reached plea deals with prosecutors.
Michigan: 16 people have been charged, although there are several other prominent, unindicted co-conspirators.
Nevada: Six people have been charged, all of whom served as fake voters.
A Washington Post report overnight noted that an investigation launched by Wisconsin’s attorney general is still ongoing – suggesting the total number of charges could increase – although it is unlikely It appears the scandal will lead to charges in New Mexico and Pennsylvania.
Watch this space.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
