Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is signaling that she may drop the high-profile criminal case against a group of Republicans accused of acting as alternate electors in the 2020 election. The development comes just days before President Donald Trump issued a federal pardon for all individuals involved, including those charged in Arizona.

The alternate elector case in Arizona was one of the few remaining state prosecutions stemming from the 2020 election. Eighteen individuals were indicted in what Mayes framed as the defense of “democracy and election integrity.”

During a recent television interview, Mayes stated that her office is still “assessing the path ahead,” declining to confirm whether she would appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court ahead of the case’s November 21, 2925, deadline. That statement fueled speculation that, in light of Trump’s then-impending pardons, she might let the case quietly expire.

Trump’s subsequent pardons, announced on November 10, granted clemency to 77 people connected to post-election legal actions in multiple states. Although the pardons did not apply to state-level charges, legal experts agree that the symbolic result “poured cold water” on the AG’s case.

Mayes’s move quickly stirred reaction in Arizona’s political landscape. Brad Miller, Pinal County Attorney, released a public letter praising Trump’s decision and criticizing Mayes. In his letter, he wrote, “This case was never about justice — only power. The pardon restores the rule of law, and now the people of Arizona deserve to see real accountability, not political theater. Prosecutors should never be used as political weapons. It’s time to move past the show trials and get back to equal justice.”

Miller added, “When justice becomes about scoring points, everyone loses.”

Miller’s remarks reflect growing tension within Arizona’s legal community over the erosion of public trust from what appear to be politically motivated prosecutions. In a separate post on X, Miller added, “I can’t wait until the Trump administration proves that Mayes was paid to bring this case.”