An Arizona Republican has become the first fake elector to admit guilt in connection with the Trump scheme.
Arizona prosecutors achieved their second win this week in their extensive case against Trump allies. Lorraine Pellegrino, an Arizona Republican who falsely claimed to be a legitimate elector for Donald Trump in the 2020 election, has pleaded guilty to filing a fraudulent Electoral College certificate. This plea comes as part of a broader effort by Trump and his supporters to undermine the election results.
Pellegrino, one of 11 fake electors from Arizona, admitted to a charge of filing a “false instrument.” This was one of several accusations against her for allegedly participating in a scheme to alter Arizona’s election outcome. The Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes charged these fake electors and other Trump allies in a sweeping indictment last April. While Trump was not charged in this Arizona case, he was named as an unindicted co-conspirator and faces federal and Georgia state charges related to the fake elector scheme and other attempts to overturn the election results.
Pellegrino’s plea is a significant development in the Arizona case, which has seen recent progress. Another defendant, former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, began cooperating with prosecutors this week, leading to a deal that would dismiss her charges. Pellegrino is the first to take criminal responsibility for the false documents, with other charges against her, including conspiracy and forgery, being dropped as part of her plea deal. She will serve three years of probation and will not face jail time.
After losing the 2020 election, Trump’s legal team orchestrated a plan to create their own set of electors in states where Joe Biden was the certified winner. Initially, these electors were presented as placeholders in case Trump’s legal challenges succeeded. As these efforts faltered, Trump’s team, including Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, sought to have Republican state legislatures certify the Trump electors, leading to increased controversy and legal battles. Trump’s plan reached a climax on January 6, 2021, when a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, attempting to disrupt the certification of the election results.