Mark Meadows, former White House chief of staff under Trump, entered a not guilty plea to nine felony charges in Arizona on Friday.
This plea was made six weeks following a grand jury indictment of Meadows and others for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state, which was narrowly won by Democrat Joe Biden.
The accusations involve conspiracy, fraud, and forgery, as detailed in an indictment that claims Trump campaign officials submitted fake elector names to undermine Biden’s win. The indictment also claims Meadows confided to a White House staffer in early November 2020 that Trump had lost the election.
Meadows has also pleaded not guilty in a separate 2020 election case in Georgia, a case in which Trump was also indicted. Upon that indictment, Meadows became the second White House chief of staff to face criminal charges, following Bob Haldeman, who was convicted for his role in the Watergate scandal.
Mike Roman, who served as Trump’s Election Day operations director in 2020, also entered a not guilty plea to the Arizona charges.
“Mike Roman has no connection with Arizona,” Roman’s attorney, Kurt Altman, said outside the Maricopa County Superior Courthouse. “Why this indictment was issued is unclear, but we will confront it and defend accordingly.”
Additional defendants include former Trump attorneys Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman, both of whom have pleaded not guilty. Trump is listed as an unindicted co-conspirator.
Jenna Ellis, another former Trump attorney, faces charges in Arizona but has not yet entered a plea. She is among four defendants in the Georgia case who have pleaded guilty.
The trial in Arizona is scheduled to commence on October 31, just five days before Election Day.
