Rudy Giuliani, along with nearly a dozen other allies of former President Donald Trump, has entered a plea of not guilty to charges connected to an alleged scheme involving the election in Arizona. The charges claim that they attempted to falsely declare Trump as the winner of the 2020 election.
Giuliani, who is currently facing nine felony charges, chose to appear remotely at the hearing without legal representation and confidently asserted his ability to handle the proceedings on his own. The trial has been scheduled for October.
Prosecutors disclosed that Giuliani had managed to avoid court summons for several weeks, finally receiving the documents after his 80th birthday celebration. The judge has mandated his physical presence in Arizona within 30 days for booking procedures and to secure a $10,000 appearance bond, which is usually necessary for defendants who are deemed likely to flee.
Giuliani’s financial difficulties, which include filing for bankruptcy following the loss of a $148 million defamation lawsuit, might make it challenging for him to post the bond.
Giuliani and others are facing charges for their alleged participation in a scheme to submit a document that falsely asserted they were Arizona’s legitimate electors, even though President Joe Biden won the state by a margin of over 10,000 votes.
This case is part of a series of prosecutions in Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada, where Republican officials are facing accusations of trying to overturn Biden’s 2020 victory.
Charged in the case are Kelli Ward, former chairwoman of the Arizona Republican Party, and her husband Michael Ward, both of whom entered pleas of not guilty. Although Trump has not faced any charges, there is speculation that he may be one of the unindicted co-conspirators mentioned in the indictment.
In June, court appearances are anticipated for other prominent officials, such as former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Attorney John Eastman, who was arraigned last week, entered a plea of not guilty.