Former Trump attorney John Eastman pleaded not guilty in an Arizona courtroom after being indicted by a grand jury for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to overturn the state's 2020 election results. Eastman is the first of 18 defendants to be arraigned on charges related to the fake elector scheme. Other Trump allies facing charges in this case include former chief of staff Mark Meadows, former White House aide Boris Epstein, and Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, who are scheduled to appear in court in the coming weeks.
During his arraignment, Eastman maintained his innocence and denied any involvement in the alleged conspiracy. He expressed confidence that he would be fully exonerated, stating that he had no communications with the electors in Arizona and was not involved in election litigation or legislative hearings in the state.
Eastman's court appearance followed standard procedures, including the taking of his mugshot. After the arraignment, he mentioned plans to travel to California to fundraise for his legal defense and engage with California Republicans.
The indictment alleges that national Trump allies, including seven individuals named in the indictment, coordinated with 11 Arizona Republicans to sign fake documents falsely claiming that Trump had won the state, despite Joe Biden's victory in Arizona's 2020 election.
