Another one of President Donald Trump’s 2020 electors has agreed to work with Attorney General Kris Mayes to avoid further prosecution.
This may be one of the attorney general’s last best efforts to get the alternate electors case off life support and on its feet. As it stands, the courts have not shown much interest in keeping the case alive.
Former Senate candidate Jim Lamon agreed to provide Mayes access to certain emails sent to him in exchange for the charges against him being dropped. Mayes’ spokesman, Richie Taylor, wouldn’t disclose what those emails contain.
“They are important to the state’s case. That’s all I can say,” stated Taylor.
The agreement will allow Mayes’ team to make some kind of progress while the case remains under suspension.
“We couldn’t use that without Lamon’s approval because the case is stayed right now,” said Taylor. “So what this agreement allows us to do is get those emails now and use them for the case.”
However, Lamon’s counsel, Dennis Wilenchik, told KJZZ that the emails provided to Mayes wouldn’t “implicate [Lamon] or anyone else in any criminal activity.” Wilenchik also dismissed the prospect of Mayes’ team putting Lamon on the stand.
“It is doubtful he will be called as a witness by the State,” said Wilenchik.
The attorney general’s office says it doesn’t plan on offering deals to the remaining electors.
Lamon has distanced himself from Trump since the 2020 election, and made a concerted effort in recent years to oppose him. Lamon funded the Actions Speak Louder Than Tweets PAC ahead of last year’s election, which issued ads attacking Trump.
Kari: What is to denounce? These are Trump’s own words. He did support red flag laws. He did support Romney over true conservatives. I spent millions supporting conservatives (incl. you) & 6 figures supporting Trump. He was much better than Hillary and Biden & I'm glad he won. 1/ pic.twitter.com/94QoJN6V2i
— Jim Lamon (@jim_lamon) July 20, 2023
Two other 2020 Trump electors have also moved beyond prosecution, but not unscathed.
The founder and former president of Ahwatukee Republican Women, Lorraine Pellegrino, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge last August. Pellegrino made her plea under pressing life circumstances per her attorney: her advanced age combined with her husband’s Stage 4 cancer battle. In October, a judge released her from probation two years early.
It was also last August when Mayes dropped charges against one of Trump’s former attorneys, Jenna Ellis, in exchange for her cooperation with their prosecution against the other electors.
Ellis pleaded guilty the year before, in 2023, to a separate case in Georgia and had her law license suspended in her home state of Colorado.
Lamon’s agreement with Mayes has come amid the attorney general’s uphill battle to resurrect her prosecution efforts against the 2020 electors.
The Arizona Court of Appeals declined Mayes’ petition to remand the case to a grand jury in September. Mayes was ordered to send the case to a grand jury for failing to provide jurors with the text of the Electoral Count Act of 1887. The remaining electors have argued the law allowed for them to serve as an alternate slate of electors.
Mayes has refused to accept these rulings. Last month, the attorney general asked the Arizona Supreme Court to overturn the lower court’s ruling.
Mayes contended the jury had sufficient evidence to determine charges.
“These defendants were charged based on two things: the facts and the law,” said Mayes. “We remain squarely focused on ensuring the defendants are held accountable because there is nothing more important than enforcing the rule of law.”
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