State Sen. Jake Hoffman was arraigned in Maricopa County Superior Court today for allegedly participating in a scheme to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election.
The Queen Creek Republican is one of Arizona’s "fake electors," accused of sending fraudulent documentation to Washington, D.C., falsely claiming Donald Trump defeated Joe Biden in Arizona in 2020.
Hoffman, who pleaded not guilty, faces nine felony counts, including fraud, forgery and conspiracy.
His attorney Timothy La Sota asked the court to allow Hoffman to continue to carry a firearm, expressing concern that release conditions pending trial could prohibit the practice.
“He does regularly receive death threats and feels that he shouldn’t have his Second Amendment rights impacted,” La Sota said.
However, prosecutors did not ask the court to stop Hoffman from carrying a firearm as a condition of his release as he awaits trial.
The court also omitted a release condition that would have prohibited Hoffman from having contact with his co-defendants. Another defendant in the case, state Sen. Anthony Kern (R-Glendale), works alongside Hoffman at the Arizona Legislature.
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