A Michigan judge has dismissed criminal charges against 15 people who signed false certificates saying Donald Trump won the state’s electoral votes in 2020.
In May, an Arizona judge sent that state’s so-called “fake elector” case back to a grand jury.
The Nevada case is stuck in a jurisdictional appeal after a court dismissed the case last year.
In Michigan, Judge Kristen Simmons dismissed the charges during a court hearing Tuesday, citing a lack of evidence.
Some pro-Trump 2020 electors have defended their actions by saying they were merely doing so in case Trump’s challenges of the election were successful.
Criminal charges against 15 individuals who signed fictitious certificates claiming that Donald Trump won the state’s electoral votes in 2020 have been dropped by a Michigan judge. Joe Biden defeated Trump both in the state and in the presidential election.
This is the most recent setback in prosecutors’ attempts to prosecute those involved in Trump’s attempt to rescind his election defeat.
A judge in Arizona returned the state’s alleged “fake elector” case to a grand jury in May. The Nevada case, which was dismissed by a court last year, is currently pending a jurisdictional appeal. After a court decided that the DA’s office should be removed from the case, the Fulton County DA’s office is fighting to continue its prosecution in Georgia.
Notably, after Trump was reelected, the federal election interference case against him was dropped.
At a court hearing on Tuesday, Judge Kristen Simmons of Michigan dismissed the charges due to insufficient evidence.
“We have to prove intent because this is a fraud case,” the judge stated. Furthermore, in my opinion, there is insufficient evidence to establish intent. “,”.
The charges were announced more than two years ago by Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel of Michigan. One of the sixteen individuals who were initially charged had their charges dropped in return for cooperation.
“These defendants are accused of meeting secretly in the basement of the Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14th [2020] and signing their names to multiple certificates stating they were the ‘duly elected and qualified electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America for the State of Michigan,” noted Nessel’s office in a 2023 statement. ‘”.
Pro-Trump 2020 voters have justified their actions by claiming that they were only taking this action in the event that Trump’s election-related challenges were successful.
Nessel supported her prosecution and criticized the judge’s decision in a press conference on Tuesday.
“There was no doubt about it: they were lying. She claimed that the defendants were aware that they had lied. Additionally, millions of Michiganders’ votes were attempted to be stolen. “.”.
Nessel stated that her office is currently “evaluating” the decision regarding an appeal.
In a statement, Jim Runestad, the chair of the Michigan Republican Party, said the dismissal “is not only a huge win for these electors but also for justice itself.”. “.
