Giuliani, 10 others plead not guilty to felony election charges in Arizona

May 21 (UPI) -- Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and 10 co-defendants pleaded not guilty Tuesday to nine felony charges accusing them of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona.

Giuliani remotely entered his plea during the arraignment hearing in Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix, which ordered him to pay a $10,000 bond after state officials tried to serve Giuliani for several weeks.

He eventually was served with the summons to appear after his 80th birthday party in Miami Friday.

The charges accuse Giuliani, a former attorney for former President Donald Trump, and co-defendants of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election by using allegedly fake electors in Arizona.

Giuliani's trial is scheduled in October.

A Maricopa County grand jury in April indicted Giuliani and 17 others in what local media refer to as the "fake electors" case. Trump is not among those charged.

Other defendants who entered not-guilty pleas Tuesday include Republican National Committee attorney Christina Bobb, Arizona Republican Party chair Kelli Ward and Mike Roman, who is a former Trump campaign aid.

Former Trump attorney John Eastman entered a not-guilty plea last week.

Six other co-defendants have arraignment hearings scheduled in June. Those defendants include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former adviser Boris Epshteyn and former campaign attorney Jenna Ellis.

Eleven of those indicted allegedly signed documents stating they were valid state electors and Trump won the 2020 general election in Arizona.

Giuliani also is charged with election interference in the same Georgia case against Trump being prosecuted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

Giuliani also pleaded not guilty in that case.

Arizona is the fourth state to press criminal charges related to the 2020 general election.