US EditionFormer Arizona Lawmaker Accused of Forging Signatures in Re-Election Campaign
- Former Arizona state representative Austin Smith was indicted on June 2, 2024, on 14 counts related to forging signatures on his reelection nomination petitions in District 29.
- The indictment followed a complaint filed the previous year by a voter challenging the authenticity of more than 100 signatures, which prompted a grand jury investigation announced by Attorney General Kris Mayes on June 10.
- Smith faces felony charges for fraudulent schemes, false instrument filing, and 10 misdemeanor counts of illegally signing election petitions submitted to the Arizona Secretary of State's Office.
- The nomination petition contained 826 signatures, exceeding the 527 required, but some allegedly forged signatures resemble Smith's handwriting, with two voters swearing they did not sign.
- After withdrawing from the 2024 race citing legal defense costs, Smith denied wrongdoing and claimed he was targeted politically, while the charges could bar him from holding office for five years.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Former Arizona lawmaker indicted on fraud charges over ballot signatures
A former Arizona lawmaker has been indicted on fraud charges, accused of forging signatures to get his name on the ballot, according to court documents. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, D, announced that Austin Cole Smith, the former 29th District representative in Arizona’s House of Representatives and a leader of the conservative political advocacy group Turning Point Action, is facing 14 counts related to fraudulent candidate signatures. …
Former Republican Arizona lawmaker indicted on charges that he forged nominating petitions
PHOENIX (AP) — A former Republican lawmaker in Arizona has been indicted on charges that he forged signatures on his nominating petitions for his 2024 reelection campaign. Austin Smith represented an Arizona House district in the suburbs northwest of Phoenix for one term before dropping his reelection bid in April 2024 when questions arose about signatures on his nominating petitions. He also resigned at the time as a leader of the conservative …
Former Arizona Lawmaker Indicted for Allegedly Submitting Fake Signatures on Election Petitions
PHOENIX — A former Republican state representative from Arizona is facing multiple criminal charges for allegedly submitting fake signatures on his 2024 nomination paperwork, officials announced this week. A state grand jury indicted Austin Smith on June 2 on 14 total counts, including four felonies and nine misdemeanors tied to the petition signatures he submitted during his failed attempt to… Source
Self-Proclaimed “Election Integrity” Crusader Austin Smith Indicted for Election Fraud
Former Arizona State Representative Austin Smith made a name for himself in Arizona politics by sounding alarms about election integrity. A self-proclaimed champion of grassroots conservatism, Smith was once a leading voice in the state’s Freedom Caucus and a high-ranking figure at Turning Point Action. He sat in judgment of so-called RINOs, scored lawmakers on...
Grand jury indicts former state representative for allegedly forging signatures
Key Points: Former lawmaker indicted for forging fraudulent nominating petition signatures Austin Smith withdrew candidacy after voter challenge, citing legal costs Smith was a known critic of election integrity A state grand jury has indicted a former state representative for recording allegedly fraudulent nominating petition signatures. Attorney General Kris Mayes announced on June 10 that the jury indicted former state Rep. Austin Smith on…
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