(The Center Square) – Defendants in the “fake electors” case won a victory in court Monday in Arizona.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers ruled the defendants could proceed with an anti-SLAPP motion, but noted he has not ruled on whether to dismiss the criminal case. “SLAPP” stands for “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.” The Arizona anti-SLAPP law is designed to protect constitutional rights to free speech and petition.
In April, 11 Arizona Republicans and seven other people who were aides to Republican President Donald Trump were indicted by a grand jury for allegedly signing and submitting a document falsely claiming Trump had won Arizona’s 11 electoral votes in the 2020 presidential race. Trump lost the state’s popular vote, and therefore its electoral votes, to former Democratic President Joe Biden by 10,457 votes.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Monday her office will appeal the judge’s ruling allowing the anti-SLAPP motion to go forward.
“It is not the lawful exercise of free speech to file forged slates of electors to deprive Arizona voters of their right to vote,” Mayes said in a statement.
Trump won Arizona in November when he ran against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
