Nevada attorney general refiles charges against 2020 fake electors

Nevada’s Attorney General Aaron Ford has refiled criminal charges against six Republican “fake electors” who attempted to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 loss in the state. The new charges, announced Thursday, were filed in Carson City, where the fake electors cast their fraudulent ballots, addressing a jurisdictional issue that led to the dismissal of the original case. A Las Vegas judge had ruled that the case was filed in the wrong venue last year, prompting Ford’s office to act quickly to avoid the statute of limitations expiring.

Ford, a Democrat, expressed his disagreement with the venue ruling but emphasized that the charges were refiled to ensure justice is pursued. “While we disagree with the finding of improper venue and will continue to seek to overturn it, we are preserving our legal rights in order to ensure that these fake electors do not escape justice,” Ford said in a statement.

The charges stem from the actions of six Republican electors who, in December 2020, cast false electoral votes for Donald Trump in an attempt to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in Nevada. The defendants, including Nevada Republican Party chair Michael McDonald and Clark County GOP chair Jesse Law, were part of a larger scheme by Trump’s campaign to present a slate of fake electors in states he lost in 2020. McDonald and Law were selected as Trump’s legitimate electors for the 2024 election, as Trump won Nevada in that cycle.

The six defendants now face felony charges of forgery. Each is accused of submitting fraudulent documents as part of the effort to disrupt the electoral process and falsely claim that Trump had won Nevada in 2020. The men have all denied wrongdoing. CNN has reached out to the defendants for comment but has not yet received a response.

Ford emphasized that he is moving forward with the case regardless of the outcome of the 2020 election. Since these are state-level charges, former President Trump cannot intervene in the prosecution or pardon the defendants. This is significant because the actions of the fake electors were directly connected to Trump’s broader effort to overturn the 2020 election results, which culminated in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Nevada was one of seven states where Trump’s campaign assembled illegitimate slates of electors in an effort to manipulate the Electoral College count.

“The actions the fake electors undertook in 2020 violated Nevada criminal law and were direct attempts to both sow doubt in our democracy and undermine the results of a free and fair election,” Ford said. “Justice requires that these actions not go unpunished.”

The legal proceedings in Nevada come as part of broader efforts to hold those involved in the fake electors scheme accountable. While the prosecution is a state matter and separate from federal investigations, it signals a continued determination to address attempts to interfere with the 2020 election results.

Ford’s decision to refile charges also reflects his resolve to take action against any efforts to subvert democratic processes, regardless of political alignment. He has made it clear that he will continue to push for accountability in this case.

In a separate announcement on Thursday, Ford revealed that he plans to run for Nevada governor in 2026, challenging incumbent Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. This development has added a new layer to Ford’s political career, with his legal work on the 2020 election now intersecting with his future political ambitions.

In summary, the refiled charges against the six fake electors underscore Nevada’s determination to uphold the rule of law and ensure that those who attempted to subvert the 2020 election face legal consequences. With the case now progressing in the correct jurisdiction, Ford’s office is working to ensure that these actions do not go unpunished, signaling a commitment to preserving the integrity of the state’s democratic processes.

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