The Arizona Republican Party has named “fake elector” state Sen. Jake Hoffman, who was indicted last week and accused of working to overturn President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Arizona, to the Republican National Committee. Elected to national committee.
Hoffman was indicted on Wednesday along with 17 others, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former RNC representative Liz Harris, who was expelled for related reasons. was elected to the post. He questioned Biden’s 2020 win in Arizona.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected as the next RNC national committee member for Arizona,” Hoffman wrote to X on Saturday evening.
“The road to saving America runs through our great state, and the RNC has a critical role to play in supporting and empowering the grassroots of the Republican Party who fight the fascist Democratic Party every day,” Hoffman added.
On January 5, 2021, just days before he was sworn into the state’s legislature, Hoffman sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence asking him to delay the counting of Arizona’s electors and “to discuss which slate of electors is appropriate. “We ask the Arizona Legislature to provide clarification.” And accurate. ” Hoffman himself was one of 11 “alternative electors.”
Arizona Attorney General Chris Mays, a Democrat, announced the indictment of Hoffman and others allegedly involved in the scheme, saying in a recorded video released Wednesday, “These defendants defrauded the people of Arizona.” I did,” he said.
“Regardless of the outcome of any legal challenge, the defendants intended that by casting false votes for Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence, Vice President Pence would encourage Vice President Pence to reject the certified electoral votes of Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris. ” he added.
Along with Hoffman, the Arizona Republican Party also selected former state Rep. Liz Harris to serve on its national committee. Harris was expelled from Congress a year ago after inviting election deniers to testify during televised congressional hearings on the election, including unsubstantiated claims.
Jacqueline Breger, an insurance agent whom Harris invited to testify, said Mexican drug cartels bribed Gov. Katie Hobbs and Republican House Speaker Ben Thoma to influence the outcome of the 2020 and 2022 elections. He claimed without evidence that “bribes and infiltration were used” to provide the money. election.
During a controversial hearing on February 23, 2023, Breger claimed that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “has control.”[s]” were involved with government agencies and were “integral to the clean-up operation.”
The Arizona Ethics Commission’s report found that Harris engaged in “disorderly conduct” and undermined the “institutional integrity of the House” by inviting Breger. Harris was removed from office after 46 of the 60 Republican-controlled House members voted to expel her following the release of the Ethics Committee’s report.
“They’re not just your run-of-the-mill election deniers,” Arizona Republican strategist Barrett Marson said of Hoffman and Harris. “They are the leaders of the entire experiment in election denialism.”
Merson said he believes Hoffman and Harris’ new efforts are indicative of the transformation of the Arizona Republican Party in recent years.
“I think this shows that both election denialism and loyalty to election denialism is what the Arizona Republican Party is now,” he said.
The Arizona Republican Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the selection of Hoffman and Harris.
