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RedState
Article misinformation risk ★☆☆☆☆ 0.5/5 Mostly accurate · 2 checked claims
category/investigations

REPORT: Arizona AG’s Prosecution of Trump Allies Tied to Left-Leaning Election Group

RedState reports that Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office worked with the left-leaning States United Democracy Center in 2023; documents allegedly show a May 4, 2023 pro bono offer, a May 15, 2023 agreement signed by Chief Deputy AG Dan Barr that allowed States United to destroy certain internal materials, and a July 27, 2023 States United memo recommending criminal charges later reflected in an April indictment charging 18 Trump supporters including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows.

Open the original RedState article ↗

Mostly accurate
Public importance 70/100

“A May 4, 2023 letter from Christine Sun, senior vice president of States United, informed Dan Barr that States United's work for the Arizona Attorney General's office would be provided pro bono.”

Attributed to RedState (citing a May 4, 2023 letter from Christine Sun of States United)

✓ Proof standard met 5 reachable references Independent-source requirement passed
Original context and attribution

Article quotes a May 4, 2023 letter from Christine Sun to Dan Barr stating, 'Our work will be provided pro bono,' as evidence the group offered free assistance to the AG's office.

What the proof shows

Multiple independent news reports citing documents obtained in December 2024–June 2025 say the Arizona Attorney General’s Office entered a May 2023 engagement with States United and that States United told AG staff its services would be provided pro bono. An official Arizona legislative press packet includes a States United engagement letter to the Governor (Jan. 18, 2023) that explicitly states “Our work will be provided pro bono,” demonstrating the organization used that language in its Arizona engagement letters. I could not locate an unredacted, publicly posted copy of the specific May 4, 2023 letter to Chief Deputy AG Dan Barr on an official government website, but multiple reporting outlets (which cite the documents posted by a private individual) quote the May 4, 2023 letter and/or the May 15, 2023 retainer as saying the work was pro bono. Taken together, the available evidence supports the claim’s substance (States United told Arizona officials its work would be pro bono), though the exact May 4, 2023 source document was not found on an official records site in this search.

Corrected version

Documents released late December 2024 and reporting from 2024–2025 indicate that States United sent an engagement/retainer letter in May 2023 to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office (signed by Chief Deputy AG Dan Barr around May 15, 2023) and that the organization stated its services for Arizona officials would be provided pro bono.

Automated evidence confidence: 0%

References and proof

Every link was reachable when published. Each proof point states how that source bears on the claim.

Official data Supports

Representative Kolodin Exposes Hobbs and Mayes for Outsourcing Government Powers to Far-Left Activist Group (press release) — includes States United engagement letter to Governor (Jan. 18, 2023) ↗

Arizona State Legislature (press release)
Proof point

The enclosed General Terms explain the terms that govern our engagement and other critical aspects of our representation. Our work will be provided pro bono. ... We are pleased to have this opportunity to be of service and to work with you. Sincerely, Christine P. Sun SVP, Legal States United Democracy Center.

Independent reporting Supports

Mayes had detailed report from private group on how to prosecute ‘fake electors’ ↗

Arizona Capitol Times / Capitol Media Services
Proof point

Dan Barr, Mayes’ chief deputy, had signed a separate letter of engagement with States United just two months earlier to have the organization advise the Attorney General’s Office on 'legal strategies to secure the integrity and security of elections.' ... States United had agreed to do the research for free.

Independent reporting Supports

Documents Reveal AZ AG Colluded with Anti-Trump Attorney's Non-Profit on Election Lawfare. ↗

The National Pulse
Proof point

This letter explains and confirms the terms and conditions under which States United ... will undertake to advise the Arizona Attorney General’s Office ... in connection with developing legal strategies to ensure the integrity and security of elections. ... other attorneys or non-attorney staff with the lawfare non-profit 'may handle various portions of this matter pro bono or otherwise…'

Independent reporting Supports

Leftist Group That Drew Up Blueprints For ‘Get Trump’ Prosecutions Was On Retainer To ‘Advise’ Arizona AG ↗

The Federalist
Proof point

"Our work will be provided pro bono. … We are pleased to have this opportunity to be of service and to work with you,' reads a May 4, 2023, letter from Christine Sun ... to Chief Deputy Attorney General Dan Barr. Barr signed the agreement with States United on May 15, 2023, according to the document.

Independent reporting Supports

Ex-San Diegan Bobb aims to boot Arizona attorney general in fake-electors case ↗

Times of San Diego
Proof point

Along with the motion, Jacobs filed exhibits he says backs up his claims, including IRS nonprofit filings by States United and its May 2023 'retainer agreement' signed by Chief Deputy Attorney General Dan Barr. ... The legal group said it would do all work pro bono: 'You will not make expenditures or incur indebtedness in connection with this representation and the services provided by States United.'

Mostly accurate
Public importance 70/100

“A July 27, 2023 memo from States United recommended criminal charges (including conspiracy, forgery, and fraud) for those who created alternate slates of electors, and those recommendations were later reflected in an April indictment charging 18 Trump supporters, including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows.”

Attributed to RedState (reporting on a July 27, 2023 memo from States United and an April indictment)

✓ Proof standard met 3 reachable references Independent-source requirement passed
Original context and attribution

Article states States United's July 27 memo argued alternate electors could be criminal and recommended charges such as conspiracy, forgery, and fraud, and asserts those recommendations appeared in an April indictment against 18 alleged 'alternate electors' including Giuliani and Meadows.

What the proof shows

Reporting and court-discovery documents show that the States United Democracy Center produced a multi‑page memorandum in July 2023 (reported as July 25, 2023) that listed state statutes that could apply to the 2020 “alternate/fake electors” (including forgery, conspiracy, and fraudulent‑schemes offenses). That same set of offenses (forgery, fraudulent schemes/artifices, and conspiracy) appear in the Arizona grand‑jury indictment returned in late April 2024 charging 18 people (reportedly including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows). RedState’s core claim — that a States United July 2023 memo recommended charges such as conspiracy, forgery and fraud and that those recommendations were later reflected in the April indictment — is supported by contemporaneous reporting and disclosed court records. Important context missing from the RedState summary: several sources say the memo date was July 25 (not July 27), the memo compiled publicly available material and was reportedly attached (apparently inadvertently) to search‑warrant materials disclosed in discovery, and the Arizona AG’s office says its indictment followed its own independent investigation (not simply a transmittal of an outside group’s recommendations). Also, the memo listed additional possible offenses (e.g., tampering, criminal impersonation, presenting a false instrument) that were not all charged in the April indictment.

Corrected version

A July 25, 2023 memorandum from the States United Democracy Center set out possible state criminal violations (including forgery, conspiracy, and fraudulent‑schemes charges) related to the 2020 alternate‑electors activity; portions of those suggested offenses (forgery, fraudulent schemes/artifices, and conspiracy) later appear in the Arizona grand‑jury indictment returned April 24, 2024 charging 18 people, including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows. The memo was reportedly attached to search‑warrant materials and disclosed in discovery; Mayes’ office says its prosecution arose from its own independent investigation.

Automated evidence confidence: 0%

References and proof

Every link was reachable when published. Each proof point states how that source bears on the claim.

Independent reporting Supports

Mayes had detailed report from private group on how to prosecute ‘fake electors’ ↗

Arizona Capitol Times / Capitol Media Services
Proof point

States United listed six specific state statutes they said were violated: forgery, tampering with a public record, criminal impersonation, presenting a false instrument for filing, fraudulent schemes and artifices, and conspiracy. The final indictment by Mayes used three of those — forgery, fraudulent schemes and artifices, and conspiracy.

Independent reporting Supports

EXCLUSIVE: Nonprofit Laid Out Road Map for Prosecuting Trump Supporters, and Arizona’s AG Seems to Have Followed It ↗

The Daily Signal
Proof point

The organization, the States United Democracy Center, provided a 47‑page memo to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on July 25, 2023. The memo outlined the potential criminal case against Trump associates and made repeated references to 'Trump himself' as part of what it called a criminal 'false electors scheme.'

Independent reporting Supports

Arizona indicts 18 in election interference case, including Giuliani and Meadows ↗

Associated Press
Proof point

An Arizona grand jury has indicted former President Donald Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows, lawyer Rudy Giuliani and 16 others ... The indictment names 11 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring that Trump won Arizona in 2020. They are charged with nine counts each of conspiracy, fraud and forgery.

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