A former Arizona Republican lawmaker was charged last week with allegedly forging signatures on his 2024 nominating petitions.
On June 2, a state grand jury indicted Austin Smith on 14 counts of alleged fraud in petitions.
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Smith served District 29, which included Surprise and other sections of the West Valley, in the state House for one term.
Austin Smith dropped 2024 reelection bid amid allegations
He abandoned his reelection campaign in April 2024 when a lawsuit was filed questioning the signatures on petitions he presented to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
Smith now faces four felony and nine minor counts stemming from his nominating petitions.
The most serious charge is for fraudulent schemes and practices, which is a class 5 felony. The court also indicted him on three counts of presenting a fake instrument for filing, a class 6 felony.
The misdemeanor accusations relate to signing other people’s names on petitions.
A guy who circulated petitions for Arizona’s abortion rights initiative last year faced indictment in April on similar charges.
