US: Michigan charges 16 people in 2020 false elector scheme
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel
Michigan's Attorney General, Dana Nessel, a Democrat, announced on Tuesday (July 18) that 16 people have been criminally charged for falsely claiming that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election in Michigan.
The charges come as a result of Trump and his legal team's efforts to convene alternate slates of electors in several swing states, including Michigan, in an attempt to overturn the election results. These charges mark the first legal action taken against any of the fake electors, as reported by the Guardian.
Felony charges and legal consequences
Each of the 16 individuals has been charged with eight felony counts, including forgery, which is punishable by up to 14 years in prison in Michigan.
The charges also include conspiracy to commit forgery, conspiracy to commit uttering and publishing, conspiracy to commit election law forgery, and election law forgery. The case has been filed in a state court in Lansing, the capital of Michigan.
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Involvement of prominent figures
Among the 16 charged individuals are Meshawn Maddock, a former co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, and Kathy Berden, a national committeewoman for the Republican National Committee. The remaining 14 fake electors had various connections to the state and local Republican Party.
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False certification of election results
On December 14, 2020, the 16 fake electors knowingly met in the basement of the Michigan Republican Party headquarters and signed "multiple certificates" falsely declaring Trump as the winner in their state.
This action occurred on the same day the legitimate electors convened, three weeks before Congress certified the election results on January 6. These fraudulent certificates were then transmitted to the National Archives in Washington.
Impact on democracy
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel condemned the fake electors' actions, stating that their plan to reject the will of the voters and undermine democracy was fraudulent and legally baseless.
Nessel emphasised that these actions not only eroded public trust in the integrity of elections but also violated election laws and the peaceful transfer of power.
She addressed potential accusations of political motivation, asserting that the charges were based on overwhelming evidence of multiple crimes.
Broader investigations
The charges in Michigan come as both the Justice Department and the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia are examining cases involving fake electors as part of a broader investigation into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump recently announced that he had received a letter from the Justice Department indicating he is a target of an investigation. Charges related to fake electors in Fulton County are expected to be filed before the end of August.
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