A Nevada state court judge dismissed a criminal indictment on Friday against six Republicans accused of submitting false certificates to Congress declaring Donald Trump the winner of the state’s 2020 presidential election. This ruling potentially ends the case due to the state prosecutors filing the case in the wrong venue.
Attorney General Ford Plans to Appeal
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford stood in a Las Vegas courtroom as Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus delivered her ruling. Ford declared his intent to take the case directly to the state Supreme Court. “The judge got it wrong and we’ll be appealing immediately,” Ford told reporters, declining further comment.
Defense Attorneys Claim Victory
Defense attorneys declared the case dead, arguing that re-filing the case in another venue, such as Carson City, would violate the three-year statute of limitations on filing charges, which expired in December. “They’re done,” said Margaret McLetchie, attorney for Clark County Republican Party Chair Jesse Law, one of the defendants.
Charges and Defendants
The defendants, including state GOP Chair Michael McDonald and others, were charged with offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument, felonies carrying penalties of up to four or five years in prison. The trial was scheduled for January but was called off by the judge.
Defense Arguments
Defense attorneys argued that Ford improperly brought the case in Las Vegas instead of northern Nevada cities closer to where the alleged crime occurred. They also accused prosecutors of failing to present exculpatory evidence to the grand jury and argued their clients had no intent to commit a crime.
Political Implications
All but one defendant, Shawn Meehan, have been named as Nevada delegates to the 2024 Republican National Convention. Meehan’s defense attorney, Sigal Chattah, noted her client chose not to seek the position. Chattah previously ran as a Republican against Ford for state attorney general in 2022 but lost.
Calls for Resignation
After the hearing, defense attorneys declined to comment on calls for their clients’ resignations from elected positions, such as Jim Hindle’s role as Storey County clerk. Advocacy groups have demanded his resignation, citing the indictment.
Background
Nevada is one of seven battleground states where fake electors falsely certified Trump’s victory in 2020, despite Joe Biden’s win by more than 30,000 votes. Other states include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Criminal charges related to fake electors have been brought in Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona.
Investigation Findings
Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican, certified the election results and defended their reliability. Despite being censured by the state GOP, Cegavske conducted an investigation finding no credible evidence of widespread voter fraud.
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