The Legal Battle for Democratic AG Kris Mayes in 2022
Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes’ prosecution is facing a tough challenge in the form of a 2022 amendment passed by Republican state legislators. The Arizona Supreme Court may have to intervene to resolve the conflict.
The legislators amended the law with the specific goal of shutting down the prosecution. Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma made their intentions clear in a 23-page “friend of the court” brief filed in July.
The law was updated shortly after the attempts to overturn the election results in several states by Trump allies, including Arizona. The statute, known as an anti-SLAPP law, is designed to prevent politically motivated prosecutions of free speech.
The fake electors in Arizona were also potential targets for prosecutors. The case is testing the Arizona law for the first time, and Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen is currently presiding over the legal arguments.
Despite the potential legal hurdles, the prosecution aims to prevent similar incidents from happening again. However, the outcome of the case remains uncertain, with a possible appeal and involvement of the Arizona Supreme Court in the future.
Stay tuned for updates on this high-stakes legal battle as it unfolds. The resolution of this case could have far-reaching implications for the protection of free speech and the integrity of the electoral process.
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