Nevada prosecutors have refiled criminal charges against six Republican individuals known as 'fake electors' who attempted to overturn Donald Trump's 2020 defeat in the state. The retooled charges were announced by Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat. The original case, filed last year, was dismissed by a Las Vegas judge due to being filed in the wrong venue. The new charges have been brought in Carson City, where the fake electors cast their sham ballots in 2020.
The six defendants are each facing one felony count of alleged forgery, according to the charging documents. Despite Trump winning the election, Ford has expressed his commitment to pursuing the case. Trump does not have the authority to intervene in these state-level prosecutions or pardon the defendants for alleged state crimes.
The six Nevada Republicans facing renewed charges include state GOP chair Michael McDonald and Clark County GOP chair Jesse Law, who were selected by the Trump campaign to be his 'real electors' this year. They are set to cast electoral votes for Trump as part of the official Electoral College process.
In 2020, Nevada was one of seven states where Trump lost, and his campaign assembled slates of illegitimate electors. Trump and his allies attempted to use these fake GOP electors to overturn the election results on January 6, 2021. Attorney General Ford emphasized that the actions of the fake electors violated Nevada criminal law and aimed to sow doubt in democracy and undermine the election results.
Additionally, Ford publicly confirmed his intention to run for Nevada governor in 2026, challenging incumbent Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. The refiled charges against the fake electors signify a continued effort to uphold justice and accountability in the state.
