PHOENIX (AP) — A former Republican lawmaker who questioned the integrity of Arizona’s elections and served as a leader for the conservative group Turning Point Action was sentenced Tuesday to probation and a five-year ban on running for public office for using nominating petitions that contained forged signatures in a bid to qualify for a 2024 primary election.
Austin Smith, 30, pleaded guilty in mid-November to charges of attempted fraudulent schemes and practices, and illegal signing of election petitions. He had acknowledged trying to use petitions with forged signatures that he knew were false and forging a dead woman’s signature on a nominating petition.
Smith represented an Arizona House district in the Phoenix suburbs for one term before dropping his reelection bid in April 2024 when questions arose about signatures on his nominating petitions.
He resigned at the time as a leader at Turning Point Action, the campaign arm of Turning Point USA, which has become a major force in Arizona Republican politics. His bio page said Smith was approached in 2019 by Turning Point co-founder Charlie Kirk and Tyler Bowyer, another top leader of the group, about launching Turning Point Action.
“If you try to illegally manipulate Arizona’s elections or mislead Arizona voters, you will be held accountable under the law,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement. “There are real consequences for cheating the system.” Kurt Altman, Smith's lawyer, told the judge that his client was mortified by his conduct and will never run for public office again. “He realizes that things got out of hand,” Altman said. “And in today’s political atmosphere, things get out of hand very quickly. He is embarrassed by the lapse in judgment.”
When handing down the sentence, Superior Court Judge Aryeh Schwartz said the offense undermined the integrity of the election process, but also said Smith accepted responsibility for his actions. Smith, who was also fined $5,500 as part of his sentence, declined to address the judge during sentencing. He also declined to comment outside of court when a reporter asked him if he wanted to do so.
The Associated Press left messages for a Turning Point spokesperson. Altman told the judge that Smith has started an agricultural business.
Smith previously portrayed the allegations against him as a coordinated attack by Democrats that was “silly on its face,” but said he would drop out of his reelection campaign to avoid racking up legal bills.
In campaign literature, Smith voiced support for a Republican-backed review of the 2020 presidential election results in Maricopa County that ultimately ended without producing proof to support President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election. Smith also sponsored an unsuccessful proposal to ban voting by mail and complained in a campaign ad about political elites breaking election laws.
FILE - Former Arizona state Rep. Austin Smith, R-Wittmann, pauses during a session on the floor during a debate on the Arizona abortion law at the capitol, April 24, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
LONDON & MUNICH & ZURICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 2026--
The Korean Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) will host the 2026 InnoCORE Global Postdoctoral Job Fair in June with upcoming programs in London, Munich, and Zurich. This follows the successful launch of the initiative in New York, Boston, and Silicon Valley in May 2026.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260518933593/en/
Organized by the MSIT together with KAIST, GIST, DGIST, and UNIST, the job fair will connect outstanding global postdoctoral researchers with leading Korean industries and research institutions.
The InnoCORE Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, launched in 2025, is a government-backed initiative to recruit outstanding early-career researchers from around the world in AI-convergent science and technology (AI+S&T). Following a strong reception in 2025—with over 100 postdoctoral researchers interviewed across three U.S. cities—the program is being significantly expanded in 2026, scaling up from an initial cohort of 400 to approximately 1,000 postdoctoral researchers. This year’s job fair series aims to further strengthen Korea’s global talent pipeline and deepen partnerships with leading academic and research institutions worldwide.
Building on 2025: Key Milestones
Since its launch in June 2025, the InnoCORE program has made significant strides in establishing Korea as a competitive destination for global research talent. Through overseas job fairs and recruitment campaigns led by the four institutes, 400 postdoctoral researchers were selected in the program’s inaugural year. Each fellow receives an annual base salary of KRW 90 million (approx. USD 62,000) plus KRW 60 million in dedicated research funding - roughly double the average compensation for postdoctoral researchers in Korea—reflecting the government’s commitment to attracting top-tier talent.
Looking ahead, the Korean government is significantly expanding the InnoCORE program in 2026. The scope of recruitment has broadened from AI and AI-convergent fields to all National Strategic Technology domains—including semiconductors & displays, next-generation batteries, advanced mobility, nuclear energy, advanced bio, space & aerospace, hydrogen, cybersecurity, AI, next-generation communications, advanced robotics & manufacturing, and quantum technology. The program is also being extended beyond the four institutes to include government-funded research institutions (GRIs) and universities.
2026 InnoCORE Global Job Fairs
The 2026 InnoCORE Global Postdoctoral Job Fair will continue in June in London, Munich, and Zurich. Each event will feature InnoCORE program briefings, research cluster presentations, and on-site interviews directly with Korean research group leaders.
Program Details
Backed by a five-year government investment of approximately USD 465 million, the InnoCORE fellowship offers an annual base salary of USD 62,000, with additional compensation available through research and industry partnerships. Fellows receive full access to Korea’s cutting-edge research infrastructure—including supercomputing systems, semiconductor cleanrooms, and biomedical research facilities—and benefit from a multi-mentor system connecting them with leading experts from both academia and industry, domestically and internationally.
Research & Recruitment Areas
InnoCORE will recruit 25 postdoctoral researchers per research group across 16 interdisciplinary research clusters (400 total), spanning four of Korea’s premier science and technology institutes.
How to Apply
Applicants must hold a PhD in a STEM-related field or must have successfully obtained their PhD by the confirmed appointment date. Further information on eligibility, research groups, and the application process is available at the official InnoCORE website: www.innocore-jobfair.com
An official timeline and guide for InnoCORE (Image: 2026 InnoCORE Global Postdoctoral Job Fair)
