Judge tosses 'fake electors' case brought against 15 Michigan Republicans
Judge dismisses 'fake electors' case after lengthy court review
A judge has tossed felony charges brought against 15 Michigan Republicans by the attorney general who alleged the individuals had attempted to circumvent the electoral process by acting as alternative electors certifying the state's electoral votes for Donald Trump, despite him losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden.
(FOX 2) - A judge has tossed criminal charges against several individuals who were accused of attempting to falsely certify President Donald Trump as the winner of the 2020 election in Michigan.
The decision comes after a lengthy court process after the Michigan Attorney General filed felony charges against 15 Republicans who allegedly met in December 2020 and signed a document falsely stating they were electors and certified the state's electoral votes for Trump.
The Associated Press was first to report on the dismissal on Tuesday, in which District Court Judge Kristen Simmons declined to bring the case to trial.
Nessel is expected to speak on the case later today.
16 Michigan residents charged in alleged fake electors scheme during 2020 election
Among those charged is Meshawn Maddock, the former co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party.
The backstory:
Nessel announced the charges in July 2023, originally bringing charges against 16 residents for their alleged role in trying to circumvent the electoral certification process.
She announced charges including forgery, forgery, conspiracy to commit uttering and publishing, uttering and publishing, conspiracy to commit election law forgery, and election law forgery.
The attorney general said they had gathered for a secret meeting with the goal of certifying Trump as the winner of Michigan, thus awarding him the state's 16 electoral votes.
Not guilty pleas were entered in August before a lengthy court process ensued.
The Source: The Michigan Attorney General and previous reporting was cited for this story.