On Tuesday, an Arizona judge stepped down from overseeing the state’s election subversion case involving allies of President-elect Trump and the “fake electors” after a controversial email surfaced. The email, written by Maricopa County Judge Bruce Cohen, led defense attorneys to request his recusal, claiming it demonstrated “utter contempt” for Trump.
In the email, Cohen expressed regret for not speaking out against the portrayal of Vice President Harris as a “DEI hire” and revealed his anger over Trump sharing a sexual joke about Harris and Hillary Clinton.
An Arizona judge’s personal email expressing frustration with Trump prompts calls for recusal in election subversion case
Cohen also called on his fellow white men to speak up for women facing mistreatment, referencing the Holocaust as a reminder to be advocates for justice. He ended the email with a statement of moral responsibility, saying, “It is time for me to state my piece or be complicit in the depravity.”
The following day, Cohen sent another email to his judicial colleagues, apologizing for allowing his personal emotions to influence his professional judgment. Defense lawyers representing Republican state Sen. Jake Hoffman, one of the 11 Republicans involved in submitting a false certification of Trump’s Arizona victory, filed the motion to disqualify Cohen.
Hoffman’s attorney, Michael Columbo, argued that the judge’s political bias had undermined his ability to make an impartial ruling. “With his liberty at stake in this baseless political prosecution, Senator Hoffman has understandably lost confidence that the Court can adjudicate this case with the impartiality that all parties are due,” Columbo wrote.
A spokesperson for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) stated that the decision to recuse himself was at the judge’s discretion. However, they noted that the judge’s email reflected a desire for decency and respect, rather than bias. They also criticized the defense’s recent motions as inflammatory and an attempt to undermine the legal process.
The case, which includes defendants like former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, is scheduled for trial on January 5, 2026. While Trump himself is not a defendant, he is named as “unindicted co-conspirator 1” in the case. Despite the judge’s recusal, Mayes pledged to continue pursuing the case, emphasizing that it is rooted in justice and the rule of law.
