


An Arizona Republican pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor Tuesday in the state’s 2020 election case, marking the first guilty conviction prosecutors have secured since bringing the sweeping indictment in April.
Loraine Pellegrino pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false document, a significant reduction in her initial charges, according to a court filing.
Pellegrino initially faced nine counts alongside 17 other defendants in an indictment brought by Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes, an elected Democrat. Pellegrino was one of 11 defendants who positioned themselves as alternate electors in 2020, while the other defendants were charged for other alleged illegal attempts to overturn the election in the key battleground in favor of former President Donald Trump.
Others facing charges in the state include former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, and former Arizona GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward.
“Lorraine Pellegrino’s decision to accept a plea to a lesser charge reflects her desire to move forward and put this matter behind her,” said Joshua Kolsrud, Pellegrino’s attorney, in a statement.
Pellegrino has taken “full responsibility for her actions,” and she was “not as culpable as some of the other defendants in charge,” Kolsrud said.
Pellegrino’s guilty plea comes one day after another defendant in the case, former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis, reached a cooperation agreement with prosecutors.
Mayes announced that Ellis, who aided Trump in his legal battles challenging the 2020 election results, would provide a valuable contribution to her prosecution.
“This agreement represents a significant step forward in our case,” Mayes said in a press statement. “I am grateful to Ms. Ellis for her cooperation with our investigation and prosecution. Her insights are invaluable and will greatly aid the State in proving its case in court.”
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Ellis, who also reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in a similar case in Fulton County, Georgia, shared a statement from her attorneys on X after the agreement was made public.
“We are grateful the Arizona Attorney General’s Office completely dismissed the indictment against Jenna Ellis as she was not involved in the so-called ‘fake elector’ scheme,” the attorneys stated. “Jenna was originally told she was not a target and her cooperation is her continued willingness to tell the truth.”