A Nevada grand jury indicted six Republicans on Wednesday for falsely declaring Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential election in their state. This makes Nevada the third state to pursue charges against individuals known as “fake electors.”
Nevada’s Democratic Attorney General, Aaron Ford, stated on Wednesday, “We cannot allow attacks on democracy to go unchallenged.” He expressed confidence that the judicial system would ensure justice as the prosecution unfolds.
The fake electors, associated with the state GOP or Clark County GOP, face charges of offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument. These felonies carry penalties ranging from one to either four or five years in prison.
This indictment is the latest development in a series of investigations across several states into the activities of Republican electors. In July, Michigan’s Attorney General filed felony charges against 16 Republican fake electors, while Wisconsin saw 10 Republicans settling a civil lawsuit, admitting their actions were part of an effort to overturn President Biden’s victory.
Similar charges have been brought in Georgia, where 16 fake electors were indicted, three of whom were also charged alongside Trump in August. Democratic attorneys general in New Mexico and Arizona are also investigating the role of fake electors in their states.
The investigation in Nevada began last month when Ford initiated proceedings. Six Republicans had signed false certificates in December 2020, claiming Trump won Nevada and sending them to Congress and the National Archives. These certificates were ultimately ignored.
The House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol has examined the role of fake electors in key battleground states in Trump’s attempt to retain power after the 2020 defeat.
Notably, among the indicted fake electors is Nevada GOP chairman Michael McDonald, a staunch ally of Trump. McDonald, who has advocated for bypassing the state-run presidential primary, referred questions about the indictment to his lawyer, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Clark County GOP Chair Jesse Law, also indicted, announced his candidacy for the Nevada state Assembly just hours before the indictment. Nevada GOP Vice Chair Jim Hindle, responsible for elections in Storey County, was also indicted. Both individuals did not respond to voice messages requesting comment.
Ford had previously testified in support of a bill criminalizing future fake electors. Although the bill passed Nevada’s Democratic-controlled Legislature, Republican Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed it, citing concerns about the proposed punishment being too severe. The indictment is seen by political observers as a validation of the illegality of the actions, with potential consequences.
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