Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is asking the state’s highest court to step in and restart the stalled criminal case against several allies of President Donald Trump over their efforts to overturn his 2020 loss in the state.
According to The Associated Press, Mayes’ office confirmed Friday that it has filed a petition with the Arizona Supreme Court seeking review of a lower-court ruling that halted the case and ordered it returned to a grand jury.
The filing came on the final day the attorney general could act before risking dismissal of the entire prosecution.
“An independent grand jury of ordinary Arizonans found that there was sufficient cause to charge the defendants with the alleged crimes,” Mayes said in a statement. “These defendants were charged based on two things: the facts and the law. We remain squarely focused on ensuring the defendants are held accountable because there is nothing more important than enforcing the rule of law.”
The case targets former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and several other Republicans accused of participating in a scheme to undermine Trump’s loss in Arizona. All remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty.
For six months, the case has been frozen at the trial court level. A judge ruled that grand jurors were not shown the text of a key Arizona law governing the certification of presidential elections — a law referenced by defendants who argue it allowed for competing slates of electors in the event of a dispute.
Defense attorneys say the omission undermines the foundation of the charges. One Republican activist has already pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, while charges against former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis were dismissed as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
Michael Columbo, who represents state Sen. Jake Hoffman, one of the defendants, said the lower court had already signaled doubts about the prosecution’s motives.
“The court already made a preliminary finding that Mayes pursued the case to punish the defendants for lawfully exercising their constitutional rights,” Columbo said. “We hope that she will use the extra time she purchased by filing this petition to reach the decision that is right and just for the defendants and the people of Arizona, which is to dismiss the case.”
Former President Joe Biden carried Arizona in 2020 by 10,457 votes.
The Arizona case is one of several investigations across the country examining efforts to advance alternate slates of electors.
A similar case in Michigan was tossed by a judge in September, and a federal case alleging Trump conspired to overturn the election was dropped last year. Other investigations remain underway in Nevada, Georgia, and Wisconsin, though none are close to trial.
