RENO, Nev. – A Nevada grand jury has indicted six Republicans who submitted false certificates to Congress, falsely declaring Donald Trump as the winner of the 2020 presidential election in their state. This development marks Nevada as the third state to seek charges against individuals identified as fake electors.
The investigation into the fake electors was initiated by Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford last month. The indictments were announced on Wednesday. In a statement, Ford emphasized the importance of upholding democracy, stating, We cannot allow attacks on democracy to go unchallenged. He expressed confidence that justice would be served through the judicial system.
The charges brought against the fake electors include offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument. These felonies carry penalties ranging from one year up to four or five years in prison, depending on the severity.
Among those indicted is Nevada GOP chairman Michael McDonald, who previously advocated for a party-run caucus to nominate a Republican presidential nominee, bypassing the state-run primary. Clark County GOP Chair Jesse Law and Jim Hindle, who oversees elections in rural Storey County, were also indicted. Attempts to reach McDonald and Hindle for comment were unsuccessful.
The fraudulent certificates, signed by six Nevada GOP members, falsely asserted that Trump had won Nevada’s electoral votes. These certificates were sent to Congress and the National Archives but were ultimately disregarded. The House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol has examined the involvement of these fake electors in Trump’s attempt to retain power following his election defeat.
Similar cases have emerged in other battleground states. Michigan’s Attorney General filed felony charges in July against 16 Republican fake electors, including forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery. In Wisconsin, 10 Republicans who posed as electors settled a civil lawsuit, admitting their actions were part of an effort to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory. Sixteen fake electors in Georgia have also been charged, and three of them faced additional charges alongside Trump in August, relating to an alleged scheme to illegally overturn the election results. They all have pleaded not guilty.
Ford had previously testified in favor of a bill that aimed to criminalize future fake electors. The bill, which passed Nevada’s Democratic-controlled Legislature, was ultimately vetoed by Republican Governor Joe Lombardo. Lombardo reasoned that the prescribed punishment of four to 10 years in prison was excessively severe.
As these indictments unfold, the legal repercussions for those involved in submitting false certificates continue to serve as a reminder of the importance of the electoral process and the consequences of attempts to manipulate it.
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