Ward, a vocal Trump ally and the then-chair of the Arizona Republican Party, communicated with national and state Republicans aligned with the then-president. As ballots from the 2020 election were still being counted, she texted one Maricopa County supervisor and asked him to halt vote-counting. Weeks later, after Trump’s defeat, she communicated with national and state allies about convening pro-Trump electors. Ward also asked questions of a key architect of the elector strategy, records show, and asked questions about the names and titles that appeared on draft templates of the false elector paperwork.
The indictment ticked through a pressure campaign allegedly mounted against the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in which Ward is accused of playing a significant role.
A lawyer representing Ward and most of the other Trump electors said “these charges are unwarranted.” Ward pleaded not guilty Tuesday.
