Arizona
Arizona fake elector case: All 18 defendants have entered pleas
![Arizona fake elector case: All 18 defendants have entered pleas](https://ktar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arizona-fake-elector-case-epshteyn-ellis-plea.jpg)
PHOENIX (AP) — Lawyers Boris Epshteyn and Jenna Ellis and former U.S. Senate candidate James Lamon have pleaded not guilty to nine felony charges in a case about trying to overturn former President Donald Trump’s Arizona election loss to Joe Biden.
The hearing Tuesday in a Phoenix courtroom marked the last of 18 arraignments in the fake elector case. Fifteen other people, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Epshteyn, a Trump adviser, is accused of assisting Giuliani in carrying out the scheme to submit fake electors for Trump in Arizona and obstruct the certification of election results by Congress on Jan. 6, 2021.
Prosecutors in Michigan, Nevada, Georgia and Wisconsin have also filed criminal charges related to the fake electors scheme.
Arizona authorities unveiled the felony charges in late April. In all, charges were brought against 11 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring Trump had won Arizona, five lawyers connected to the former president and two former Trump aides. Biden won Arizona by more than 10,000 votes.
Trump himself was not charged in the Arizona case but was referred to as an unindicted co-conspirator in the indictment.
Arizona authorities say Ellis made false claims of widespread election fraud in the state and six others, encouraged the Arizona Legislature to change the outcome of the election and encouraged then-Vice President Mike Pence to accept Arizona’s fake elector votes.
Lamon, a businessman who lost a 2022 Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona, is accused of falsely stating he was a duly elected and qualified elector. Prosecutors have pointed out that Lamon didn’t withdraw his vote even though no legal challenge had successfully changed the outcome in Arizona.
Last year, Ellis was charged in Georgia after she appeared with Giuliani at a December 2020 hearing hosted by state Republican lawmakers at the Georgia Capitol during which false allegations of election fraud were made. She pleaded guilty in October to one felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
All three defendants who plead not guilty Tuesday took part in the hearing by video conference or phone. The Associated Press left telephone messages seeking additional comment from their attorneys. Their trials are slated for Nov. 14.
The 11 people who claimed to be Arizona’s Republican electors met in Phoenix on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign a certificate saying they were “duly elected and qualified” electors and asserting that Trump carried the state. A one-minute video of the signing ceremony was posted on social media by the Arizona Republican Party at the time. The document was later sent to Congress and the National Archives, where it was ignored.
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Arizona
Republicans face off for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District
![Republicans face off for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District](https://gray-kpho-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MAV3YOIYQVC6ZO3UJYMDTQZDRE.jpg?auth=4359c738833f498a3194a3de1119da76e1a138ab43823fef8f1d446cac19ca41&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Republicans seeking their party’s nomination in Arizona’s 8th congressional district faced off for the last time Tuesday night before early voting begins in next month’s primary election.
The seat is currently held by Debbie Lesko, who is not running for re-election.
There is a lot on the line for the five candidates. Trent Franks, who resigned from it in 2017 after sexual harassment allegations, did not participate in the debate.
Candidates mostly agreed on policy, but there was a difference on the major issue of abortion. All candidates except Hamadeh agreed that Congress should step in and pass some sort of abortion ban. Hamadeh’s position is in line with Former President Donald Trump’s, who has said abortion should be left up to the states; it’s a position that has angered anti-abortion organizations.
“I applaud President Trump for what he did. … Appreciate it’s back at the state level, now it’s going to be up to each individual state,” Hamadeh said.
Abe Hamadeh lost the attorney general’s race and still has not conceded. Current state lawmaker Anthony Kern was recently indicted on felony charges for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election that Donald Trump lost.
Also seeking to represent the West Valley is Blake Masters, who lost his run for the US Senate in 2022. House Speaker Ben Toma is the author of a tough immigration measure the legislature just sent to the November ballot. Political newcomer Patrick Briody bragged about not having an endorsement.
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Arizona
3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi commits to Arizona, first pledge of 2026 class
Arizona has been on a tear this month, picking up 13 commitments in June for its 2025 recruiting class after entering with only two. And now it already has one for the following class.
3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi committed to the UA on Tuesday night, giving the Wildcats their first pledge of the 2026 class nearly 18 months before those recruits could officially sign.
he 6-foot-3, 265-pound Langi, who goes by ‘Bobo’ rather than Michael, is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 509 player in the 2026 class. He’s also considered the No. 41 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 79 prospect from California.
Langi, who was offered by Arizona in January, picked the Wildcats over offers from ASU, Colorado and Penn State, among others. He is the younger brother of 3-star offensive lineman Peter Langi, a 2025 recruit whom the UA had in for an official visit last weekend.
Both Langis play for Archbishop Riordan in San Francisco, the same school where Arizona recently got a commitment from 3-star offensive lineman Losipini Tupou. They are no relation to Sam Langi, who appeared in 21 games (with four starts) on the offensive line for the Wildcats from 2020-23.
Arizona
Former Baylor pitcher Collin McKinney commits to Arizona baseball
![Former Baylor pitcher Collin McKinney commits to Arizona baseball](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1L09vAlVaNX0O7nX9US3u_VuAyQ=/225x0:1692x768/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25506344/BSB_McKinney_Web.jpg)
In winning both the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament titles, Arizona put up some of the best pitching numbers in the country and led the nation in a trio of categories.
The Kevin Vance effect was real, and it’s made the Wildcats a desirable destination for pitchers hoping to improve their pro prospects.
Arizona has landed a second potential weekend starter from the NCAA transfer portal, getting a commitment Tuesday from former Baylor right-hander Collin McKinney.
The 6-foot-5 Texas native comes to Tucson with three years of eligibility, but with a big 2025 season could get drafted. He’s coming off a 2024 campaign as a redshirt freshman (he sat out 2023 due to injury) in which he started 14 games for Baylor and was 3-6 with a 6.70 ERA.
McKinney struck out 60 batters in 49.2 innings but also walked 35 and allowed 11 home runs. He had back-to-back 10-strikeout performances midway through the season but didn’t go more than four innings in any of his final seven starts.
He is Arizona’s second portal pickup, both righties who have started throughout their college career. Last week the Wildcats landed ex-Rutgers RHP Christian Coppola.
Coppola is ranked by 64Analytics as the No. 30 transfer, while McKinney is No. 168. For perspective, none of the players Arizona has lost to the portal was ranked in the top 1,000.
The UA is likely to lose all three weekend starters with righties Clark Candiotti and Cam Walty graduating and lefty Jackson Kent expected to get drafted and start his pro career.
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