Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies pleaded not guilty to election conspiracy charges
Rudy Giuliani has pleaded not guilty to nine felony charges that he helped carry out a “false voter” scheme to falsely declare Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 election in Arizona.
Nearly a dozen other allies of the former president also pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and fraud charges on Tuesday.
Mr. Giuliani appeared remotely and without a lawyer at the hearing, where his trial date was set for October.
Mr. Trump was not charged in the case.
Mr. Giuliani, a bankrupt who was Mr. Trump’s lawyer, said he was “capable of handling” the hearing in Arizona himself and did not want a court-appointed lawyer.
After he pled not guilty, prosecutors told the judge that he had evaded attempts to serve a formal summons to court for weeks. Mr. Giuliani finally received the court papers on Friday, when they were served on him after his 80th birthday party.
For that reason, the judge said Mr. Giuliani will have to travel to Arizona in person within the next 30 days to go through registration procedures, such as mug shots.
He will also be required to post a $10,000 secured bond. Bond is often required for defendants considered a flight risk – those who may flee the state or country to avoid prosecution.
That tie could prove difficult for Mr. Giuliani, who filed for bankruptcy last year after losing a $148 million defamation lawsuit.
