Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, along with several associates of former President Donald Trump, including Christina Bobb, Arizona state Sen. Anthony Kern, former Arizona Republican Party chair Kelli Ward, and her husband Michael Ward, pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud, forgery, and conspiracy in Maricopa County court on Tuesday. The charges stem from their alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona.

Giuliani appeared virtually in court after being served with notice of his indictment following his 80th birthday celebration last Friday. Despite boasting on social media that he had evaded being served, Giuliani now faces the legal consequences. The prosecution requested a cash bond, but the judge allowed Giuliani to provide a $10,000 secured appearance bond.

During the hearing, Giuliani defended himself, claiming that he had not been hiding from anyone and attributing the difficulty of accepting service to the threats he has faced. However, the judge intervened when Giuliani began a digression about alleged threats made against him, warning him not to veer off-topic.

Outside the court, Nicholas Klingerman, a prosecutor for the Arizona Attorney General's office, described the numerous unsuccessful attempts to serve Giuliani, referring to his actions as "mocking the justice system in Arizona." Klingerman dismissed Giuliani's assertion that the case was politically motivated, stating that "the indictment speaks for itself."

Giuliani's spokesperson, Ted Goodman, released a statement asserting that the charges were an attempt to interfere with the 2024 election and undermine President Trump and his supporters. Goodman expressed confidence in Giuliani's eventual vindication, referring to him as "the most effective federal prosecutor in U.S. history."

This case in Arizona marks the third instance of election interference charges related to the 2020 election. Previously, Nevada and Michigan both pursued similar charges against alleged "fake electors." However, all defendants involved in all three probes have pleaded not guilty.

The legal proceedings continue, with Giuliani and his associates maintaining their innocence. It remains to be seen how this case will unfold and if the outcome will have wider implications for future election-related investigations.