Cochise County supervisors plead not guilty to interfering with 2022 election
Two Cochise County supervisors accused of interfering with the 2022 election pleaded not guilty in Maricopa County Superior Court on Thursday morning.
Tom Crosby, 64, of Sierra Vista, and Peggy Judd, 61, of Willcox, are each charged with felony counts of conspiracy and interference with an election officer. They currently serve on the Cochise County Board of Supervisors as Republicans.
An attorney for Crosby did not immediately respond to The Republic's request for comment. Kurt Altman, a Scottsdale attorney representing Judd, said Judd is glad the legal process is starting.
"That way it can end," Altman said. "We're ready to get it behind us."
Crosby and Judd voted to delay certification of the vote last year. They said they wanted a meeting to hear evidence about county vote-tallying machines and whether they were properly certified. By that time, they had ignored repeated legal advice from the board's attorneys that their actions were illegal.
The supervisors were quickly sued, including by then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. One lawsuit resulted in a court order to certify the result, which the supervisors convened to do — though Crosby didn't show up. Judd ultimately joined Supervisor Ann English, a Democrat, in voting 2-0 to send the results to Hobbs just four days before the statewide canvass.
Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes later investigated and presented the case to a grand jury, securing an indictment. She made clear while announcing charges against Crosby and Judd that she wouldn't tolerate "attempts to undermine our democracy."
“I took an oath to uphold the rule of law, and my office will continue to enforce Arizona’s elections laws and support our election officials as they carry out the duties and responsibilities of their offices," she said.
But the move has drawn criticism from some Republican leaders of other counties. Mohave County Supervisor Hildy Angius said Mayes "overstepped" in indicting Crosby and Judd and that she would propose a resolution in support of them when the Mohave County Board of Supervisors next meets in January.
Pinal County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff Serdy said he also supports Crosby and Judd.
Dennis Wilenchik, a Phoenix lawyer who represents Crosby, previously told The Republic that the indictment was "the product of nothing but political partisanship."
The charges against Crosby and Judd are class 5 felonies, the second-least severe felony under Arizona law. If convicted, the supervisors could face prison time up to 2 1/2 years and a $150,000 fine.
A pre-trial conference in the case is scheduled for Feb. 1.
Sasha Hupka covers county government and election administration for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip to share on elections or voting? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cochise County supervisors plead not guilty to election charges
