Washington, United States: Peggy Judd and Tom Crosby, both Republican County commissioners, have been implicated in a grand jury’s decision related to felony interference and conspiracy charges. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced this judgment on Wednesday.
As reported by Reuters, the indictment stated that Peggy Judd, aged 61, and Tom Crosby, aged 64, who serve as supervisors in Cochise County, were accused of deliberately stalling the certification process for votes cast in the November 2022 general election.
Their alleged actions included seeking delays, such as requesting manual vote tallies and expressing concerns about the proper certification of voting machines in the county. Interestingly, despite being advised by legal counsel that such delays would be unlawful, they reportedly pursued these actions, as per the Arizona Republic.
Attorney General Mayes expressed strong disapproval, stating, “The repeated attempts to undermine our democracy are unacceptable,” according to Reuters.
She further asserted, “I took an oath to uphold the rule of law, and my office will continue to enforce Arizona’s elections laws and support our election officials as they carry out the duties and responsibilities of their offices.”
In response to the accusations, Crosby’s attorney, Dennis Wilenchik, defended his client’s actions, stating that the queries raised about the canvass were legitimate and not intended to cause delays.
Wilenchik conveyed in an official email, “We are confident that when the facts are reviewed impartially rather than by a partisan effort under the guise of law enforcement, Mr. Crosby will be fully vindicated of any charges. There was no crime here of interference or any conspiracy either.”
Reuters noted that there was no immediate response to their request for comment from Judd.
If found guilty, the Republican County supervisors face potential penalties outlined in an official statement by the Arizona Republic, including up to 2½ years of imprisonment and a fine of around US$150,000.
This controversy echoes previous concerns raised by supporters of former President Donald Trump regarding voting machines after the 2020 presidential election. Trump had alleged election fraud as the reason behind Joe Biden’s victory. Currently, Trump is confronting federal and state charges in Georgia over his attempts to overturn his defeat in the previous presidential election.