PHOENIX — The latest criminal indictment filed against Donald Trump accuses the former president of enlisting co-conspirators to persuade Arizona's elected officials to decertify the state's 2020 election results.
A 45-page indictment unsealed this week charges Trump with conspiring to defraud the United States and obstructing official proceedings after the Republican candidate lost to Democrat Joe Biden in November 2020.
The lengthy indictment mentions Trump's alleged efforts to convince then-Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers to use his legislative powers to spread the Trump campaign's claims of election fraud and decertify the state's electors.
>> VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Destaca Arizona en la reciente acusación en contra de Trump
Bowers declined to comply, explaining that state investigations failed to uncover any substantial election fraud in Arizona, according to the indictment.
Bowers was later censured by the state Republican Party and lost his bid for the Arizona Senate.
Instances of alleged election interference in George, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania are also mentioned in the indictment against Trump.
The indictment accuses Trump and his co-conspirators of targeting Arizona and six other states to orchestrate a "fake controversy" during the certification proceeding at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. This alleged plan involved submitting a fraudulent slate of Trump-supporting electors to potentially be counted during the certification process.
Trump and the co-conspirators then allegedly enlisted then-Vice President Mike Pence to use Trump's fake electors and reject legitimate electoral votes. After that plan failed, a violent group of protestors descended on the Capitol.
Some of these fake electors were allegedly "tricked" into participating based on the understanding their votes would only be counted if Trump prevailed in a number of election lawsuits, according to the indictment.
The co-conspirators allegedly suggested filing a petition with the Supreme Court, in order to legally protect the slate of fake electors.
"It could appear treasonous for the AZ electors to vote on Monday if there is no pending court proceeding..." one co-conspirator allegedly said to another, according to the indictment.
Republicans in Arizona were not secretive about assembling their own group of alternative electors. In December 2020, the state's GOP Party tweeted out a photo of 11 Republicans who had convened to cast votes for Trump.
The Arizona Republican Party said at the time that because Arizona's results were "in doubt," the 11 electors convened as the state awaited a final resolution to legal proceedings.
But the indictment claims the plan of Trump's co-conspirators was not to use the fake electors only if Trump won his legal challenges.
"Instead, the plan was to falsely present the fraudulent slates as an alternative to the legitimate slates at Congress's certification proceeding," the indictment states.
12News attempted to contact the 11 Arizona Republicans who signed onto the document claiming to be an elector for Trump Wednesday requesting interviews on the indictment.
Apart of the group includes former Arizona GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward, Tyler Bowyer with Turning Point USA, and Republican State Senators Anthony Kern and Jake Hoffman.
Bowyer declined to speak with 12News about the indictment. A state Senate spokesperson told 12News Kern wasn't available to discuss the indictment, and Hoffman didn't reply. Ward also did not respond to 12News regarding the interview request.
Nancy Cottle and Loraine Pellegrino also signed onto the non-existent Electoral College of Arizona as a "chairperson" and "secretary." The two women were the first Arizonans to be subpoenaed by the Congressional committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. Neither returned 12News' request for interviews on the indictment Wednesday.
While current Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jeff DeWit was not part of the group of electors, 12News did ask for an interview with him on the indictment.
A spokesperson for the Arizona GOP pointed us to a tweeted statement that criticizes the Department of Justice for attempting to influence the 2024 election, adding in part, "With each Biden crime family revelation, former President Trump faces a new indictment. This manipulation must end!"