Rudy Giuliani has pleaded not guilty to all nine criminal charges he faces in Arizona for his role following the 2020 presidential election. The former New York City mayor appeared virtually in a Phoenix court, where he is being charged along with others such as Kelli Ward, then chair of the Arizona Republican Party.

Giuliani’s trial is scheduled to begin in October and addresses his role as Donald Trump’s lawyer in the weeks after the previous presidential elections. The Republican also faces other criminal accusations in Georgia, specifically in the investigation led by prosecutor Fani Willis.

What are the accusations against Rudy Giuliani?

Along with 18 other people, the Republican is accused of conspiracy, fraud and forgery. As reported by The Hill, the case centers on promoting “false claims of voter fraud to try to convince state officials to reject President Biden’s victory in Arizona.”

In addition to Ward, Mark Meadows, Boris Epshteyn, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Cristina Bobb and Mike Roman are other high-profile defendants.

Virtually, Giuliani pleaded not guilty to all nine criminal charges. His spokesman, Ted Goodman, expressed himself in a statement and noted that he hopes the Republican obtains a “full vindication” and accused Biden of using the judicial system as a weapon to prosecute Trump.

“These charges are essentially a cut and paste version of what they’re attempting to use to interfere with the 2024 Election and to take down President Trump and anyone willing to take on the permanent Washington political class,” he said.

The judge in the case required Giuliani to post $10,000 bail and appear for registration procedures over the next 30 days.

Arizona happens to be the fourth state where charges have been filed related to the weeks following the 2020 election. While Trump is not a party to the indictments in the Grand Canyon State, he is referred to as an unindicted accomplice.

“Blatant and unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial power”

The local GOP criticized the allegations and took aim at Attorney General Kristin Mayes, alleging abuse of power.

“Today’s indictments by Attorney General Kris Mayes represent a blatant and unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial power, aimed solely at distracting the public from the critical policy debates our country should be focusing on as we approach the 2024 election. The timing of these charges- precisely four years after the 2020 election and as President Biden seeks re-election-is suspiciously convenient and politically motivated. This is not justice; it is pure election interference,” they expressed in a statement.

Mayes won the closest election in Arizona in 2022 after beating Republican Abraham Hamadeh by a margin of 0.01%, the same as 510 votes out of more than 2.5 million.