In a development that strikes at the heart of the state’s politically charged legal battles, Maricopa County Judge Bruce Cohen recused himself from the Arizona fake electors case after his email urging colleagues to defend Vice President Kamala Harris from personal attacks came to light. In the email, dated August 29, Judge Cohen stressed the importance of speaking up against the unfair treatment of women and those of color, specifically mentioning an instance where Harris was referred to as a “DEI hire,” as reported by
FOX 10 Phoenix
.
The judge’s email was met with controversy, leading to an apology for what he described as a lapse in judgment, the state senator Jake Hoffman’s legal team, representing one of the 11 Republicans accused of falsely declaring Trump the winner of Arizona in the 2020 election, seized upon the judge’s communications to argue for his dismissal from the case, suggesting the judge possessed a “deep-seated personal political bias” as
AP News
noted.
Judge Cohen, who was scheduled to retire in January, and who had been appointed by former Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano, chose to step down from his role in the case, just before a decision on whether to dismiss the charges against the defendants was made. These charges, which include forgery, fraud, and conspiracy, have led to various legal skirmishes, with the defense arguing the indictment was an attempt to silence their protected speech regarding the outcome of the 2020 election.
Amidst the unfolding legal situation, attorneys for Rudy Giuliani, one of the 18 individuals charged, expressed satisfaction with Cohen’s recusal, with attorney Mark L. Williams commenting to
FOX 10 Phoenix
, “Given the statements the judge made, I think it’s appropriate that he recuse himself,” also suggesting the case was crumbling, some defendants have reached resolutions, with former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis signing a cooperation agreement and Republican activist Loraine Pellegrino pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge.
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