Trump aides Mark Meadows, Michael Roman plead not guilty to fake electors charges
June 7 (UPI) — Two top aides to former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Friday to charges accusing them of trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Arizona.
Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former Trump campaign member Michael Roman were arraigned in a Maricopa County court Friday morning.
The two appeared virtually in separate hearings, where they entered not-guilty pleas to nine felony counts, including conspiracy, forgery and fraud.
According to prosecutors, Meadows allegedly worked with Trump campaign members to submit the fake electors to make it seem that Trump had won Arizona, when, in truth, the state narrowly went to Joe Biden.
Roman, who served as director of Election Day operations for the Trump campaign, was accused of working with Trump’s lawyers to arrange the fake electors votes in Arizona and other states.
Meadows and Roman also face charges in connection with a scheme to overturn the election results in Georgia, to which they pleaded not guilty.
Roman also was charged this week in Wisconsin with one count of forgery for allegedly handing in paperwork of fake electors to a Pennsylvania congressional staffer.
In response to the Arizona case, Roman’s attorney Kurt Altman said his client would fight the charges.
“We think they’re excessive; we think they’re unwarranted. Mr. Roman’s had no contact with Arizona, at all,” Altman said. “So we don’t understand why he’s involved in this. We don’t understand why the charges were brought in the first place.”
Altman also suggested the charges in multiple states could be a “war of attrition” to force his client to accept a plea deal.
Meadows and Roman are among 18 people charged in April in connection with the scheme to overturn the Arizona election in favor of Trump.
Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who was arraigned in Maricopa County last month, pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled for October.
Most defendants in the case have entered not-guilty pleas. Three other defendants — Arizona Republican James Lamon and Trump aides Jenna Ellis and Boris Epshteyn — have an arraignment set for June 18.
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UPI