Judge Recuses Himself in Arizona Election Case After Kamala Harris Comments

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen recused himself on Nov. 12 from overseeing an Arizona election case against allies of President-elect Donald Trump after facing criticism for urging colleagues to defend Vice President Kamala Harris against racist and sexist remarks.

Cohen expressed regret in an Aug. 29 email for not speaking out when Harris was labeled a “DEI hire,” a term referring to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. He emphasized the importance of white men speaking up against unfair treatment of women in the workplace.

“We cannot allow our colleagues who identify as being a ‘person of color’ to stand alone when there are those who may claim that their ascension was an ‘equity hire’ rather than based solely upon exceptionalism,” Cohen stated in the email.

The judge also made reference to the Holocaust while encouraging individuals to speak out against discrimination and prejudice.

Cohen later issued an apology to his colleagues for the unsolicited comments he had sent via email, acknowledging that his emotions may have clouded his judgment and that his remarks were inappropriate.

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Following the publication of his remarks online, defense attorneys for Arizona state Sen. Jake Hoffman, facing nine felony charges in the case, accused Cohen of having “deep-seated personal political bias.”

“Given the statements the judge made, I think it’s appropriate that he recuse himself,” Arizona attorney Mark L. Williams, who is representing Giuliani, said after Cohen’s decision. “The way I see it, the case against Mr. Giuliani and the other defendants is falling apart and I think the attorney general should just wind down the case and dismiss it.”

Cohen, who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Janet Napolitano in 2005, is scheduled to retire in January 2025.

In a court document announcing his decision to remove himself from the case, the judge said the original email was a stand for “decency” and didn’t reflect a personal bias. Cohen acknowledged others may have viewed his comments differently than he had intended.

According to Attorney General Kris Mayes’s office, the 18 individuals conspired to falsely declare Trump the winner in the state during the 2020 presidential election, in which he faced then-candidate Joe Biden, by nominating alternate electors for Trump.

All of the indicted individuals have pleaded not guilty. Trump is not listed as a defendant in the case but court documents identify a “prior U.S. president,” as an unindicted co-conspirator. The case is set for trial in January 2026.

The Epoch Times has contacted a spokesperson for Arizona Attorney General Mayes for comment.

Caden Pearson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.