Former Arizona Republican Lawmaker Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges
30-year-old Austin Smith, a former Republican lawmaker in Arizona, pleaded guilty on Monday to criminal charges for forging signatures on nominating petitions during his 2024 campaign. Smith, who represented an Arizona House district in the Phoenix suburbs for one term, dropped his reelection bid in April 2024 amidst questions about the signatures on his nominating petitions. He also resigned from his position as a leader of the conservative group Turning Point Action.
As part of the plea agreement, Smith is set to receive probation, pay a $5,000 fine, and be prohibited from running for public office for five years. He pleaded guilty to attempted fraudulent schemes and practices, as well as illegal signing of election petitions.
In his campaign literature, Smith expressed support for a Republican-led review of the 2020 presidential election in Maricopa County, which failed to provide evidence backing former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud.
Initially dismissing the allegations against him as a Democratic-led attack, Smith eventually decided to withdraw from the race to avoid accruing legal expenses.
Smith previously held a senior position at Turning Point Action, the campaign division of the youth organization Turning Point USA, which plays a significant role in Arizona Republican politics.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, emphasized the importance of upholding election integrity, stating, “Forging signatures, including those of deceased individuals, to secure a spot on the ballot is illegal and undermines trust in our electoral system.” Mayes vowed to continue holding individuals accountable for attempting to deceive Arizona voters.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6th.
