Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn pleads not guilty in fake elector case

Lawyer Boris Epshteyn pleaded not guilty to nine felony charges in the Arizona fake elector case about trying to overturn former President Trump’s 2020 election loss in the state.

Epshteyn was arraigned at a Tuesday hearing in Phoenix, making him one of the last people to be arraigned in the case. Fifteen other people, including top Trump allies former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, have also pleaded not guilty, The Associated Press reported.

Epshteyn is a Trump adviser and has been accused of assisting Giuliani in the plan to submit fake electors for the former president in Arizona, a key battleground state, and obstruct President Biden’s win from being certified. Biden won the state in 2020 by fewer than 11,000 votes.

The New York Times noted that Epshteyn was with Trump after the jury returned his 34 felony charge guilty verdict last month.

Arizona authorities announced the felony charges in April. Eleven Republicans and five lawyers connected to Trump were accused of submitting a document to Congress falsely saying the former president won Arizona.

Fellow lawyer Jenna Ellis and former U.S. Senate candidate James Lamon also pleaded guilty Tuesday in Phoenix. Eastman and Giuliani pleaded not guilty.

Arizona is the fourth state where charges have been brought related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Trump was not charged in the Arizona case but was referenced as an unindicted co-conspirator.