🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 51 (from laksa078)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa051.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/09/politics/michigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/09/politics/michigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/09\/09\/politics\/michigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans","crawl_time":1775367849,"first_indexed_time":1757430893,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,cnn!www,\/2025\/09\/09\/politics\/michigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans s443","src_root_hash":"2312100192101524051","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Michigan judge dismisses charges against fake electors who signed papers saying Trump won the state in 2020 | CNN Politics","meta_descriptions":["A Michigan state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against the fake electors who signed certificates falsely claiming President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election, saying that the state failed to prove the 15 men and women were knowingly trying to break the law."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"A Michigan state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against the\nfake electors\nwho signed certificates falsely claiming President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election, saying that the state failed to prove the 15 men and women were knowingly trying to break the law.\nThe group includes current and former state GOP officials, a Republican National Committee member, a mayor, a school board member and Trump supporters who were the plaintiffs in a frivolous lawsuit that tried to overturn the 2020 results. Each was facing eight charges.\n“This is a fraud case, and we have to (prove) intent, and I don’t believe that there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent,” Judge Kristen Simmons said from the bench Tuesday in her Lansing courtroom.\nThe ruling ends the criminal prosecutions, which sought to punish state-level actors for ignoring the popular vote results, which went in favor of Joe Biden, and instead institute the will of political actors who supported Trump.\nThe outcome is a staggering blow to the efforts to hold the 2020 fake electors and their allies accountable, though there are still pending cases in\nNevada\n,\nArizona\nand\nWisconsin\n. Federal charges against Trump, which touched on his involvement in the fake electors plot, were dropped after he won the 2024 election. And the sweeping Georgia racketeering case against Trump and some of the fake electors is also\nstalled\n.\nMichigan was one of the seven battleground states where the Trump campaign put forward slates of “fake electors” as part of a plan to undermine the Electoral College process and potentially disrupt Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021.\nIn issuing her ruling, Simmons said the fake electors truly believed they were carrying out their constitutional duty by signing the fake documents.\n“Right, wrong or indifferent, it was these individuals and many other individuals in the state of Michigan who sincerely believe, for some reason, that there were some serious irregularities with the election, or with the voting, and that somehow their candidate didn’t receive all the votes that was intended to for them,” the judge said.\nTheir actions were “prompted by that belief,” she said, and therefore lack the criminal intent required to convict.\nMichigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat who brought the case, said at a press conference after the hearing that she believed the judge made a “very wrong decision.”\nThe GOP electors “knew Donald Trump lost, they lied anyway, and that is a crime,” Nessel said, referring to the now-dismissed felony charge of signing fraudulent election papers.\n“This is the most dangerous slippery slope for American democracy, when courts decide that violations of election laws shouldn’t even be heard by a jury,” Nessel said. “I am terrified for the 2026 elections… If they can get away with this, what can’t they get away with next?”\nProsecutors can appeal the decision and Nessel said Tuesday that her office is “evaluating” its next steps.\nLawyers representing the Michigan fake electors hailed the ruling.\n“This was a farce from the beginning,” Nick Somberg, lawyer for fake elector\nMeshawn Maddock\n, told CNN on Tuesday. “There was no forgery. There was no conspiracy. There was no fraud. We’ve been maintaining their innocence since day one. And Dana Nessel needs to be held accountable.”\nKevin Kijewski, an attorney for fake elector\nClifford Frost\n, said in a statement that the dismissal of all charges shows that this was “a weak case driven by politics rather than facts.”\n“This was a political calculation, not a pursuit of truth or justice,” said Kijewski, who is running for the GOP nomination to replace Nessel next year as Michigan attorney general.\nThis story has been updated with additional comment and details.","attrs_markdown":"Ad Feedback\n\nThank You\\!\n\nYour effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much appreciated.\n\nClose\n\n[Politics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics)\n\n[Elections 2026](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/election\/2026)\n\n[Trump](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/president-donald-trump-47)\n\n[Facts First](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/fact-check)\n\n[CNN Polls](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/polling)\n\n[Redistricting Tracker](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/state-redistricting-maps-vis\/index.html)\n\n[Epstein Files](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/epstein-files)\n\n[More]()\n\n[Elections 2026](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/election\/2026)   [Trump](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/president-donald-trump-47)   [Facts First](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/fact-check)   [CNN Polls](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/polling)   [Redistricting Tracker](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/state-redistricting-maps-vis\/index.html)   [Epstein Files](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/epstein-files)\n\n[Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)   [Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)\n\nSubscribe\n\nSign in\n\nMy Account\n\n- [Settings](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/account\/settings)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n- [Topics you follow](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow?iid=fw_var-nav)\n- [Sign out](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/09\/09\/politics\/michigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans)\n\nYour CNN account Sign in to your CNN account\n\nSign in\n\nMy Account\n\n- [Settings](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/account\/settings)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n- [Topics you follow](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow?iid=fw_var-nav)\n- [Sign out](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/09\/09\/politics\/michigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans)\n\nYour CNN account Sign in to your CNN account\n***\n[Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)   [Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)\n***\nEdition\n\n[US](https:\/\/us.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n\n[International](https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n\n[Arabic](https:\/\/arabic.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n\n[Español](https:\/\/cnnespanol.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n\nEdition\n\n- [US](https:\/\/us.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n- [International](https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n- [Arabic](https:\/\/arabic.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n- [Español](https:\/\/cnnespanol.cnn.com\/?hpt=header_edition-picker)\n***\n[Elections 2026](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/election\/2026)\n\n[Trump](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/president-donald-trump-47)\n\n[Facts First](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/fact-check)\n\n[CNN Polls](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/polling)\n\n[Redistricting Tracker](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/state-redistricting-maps-vis\/index.html)\n\n[Epstein Files](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/epstein-files)\n***\nFollow CNN Politics\n\nDownload the CNN App\n***\n\n- [US](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us)\n  - 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[Sudoblock](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/sudoblock)\n  - [Sudoku](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/games\/play\/daily-sudoku)\n  - [5 Things Quiz](https:\/\/cnn.it\/5thingsquiz)\n- [About CNN](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/about)\n  - [Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/subscription?source=sub_web_footersubnav-link)\n  - [Photos](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/photos)\n  - [Investigations](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us\/cnn-investigates)\n  - [CNN Profiles](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles)\n  - [CNN Leadership](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/cnn-leadership)\n  - [CNN Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n  - [Work for CNN](https:\/\/careers.wbd.com\/cnnjobs)\n***\nDownload the CNN App\n\n[Politics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics)  3 min read\n\n# Michigan judge dismisses charges against fake electors who signed papers saying Trump won the state in 2020\nBy\n\n[![CNN Expansion DC - November 2021, Shoot ID: 1089822 , 11\/16\/2021, Hannah Rabinowitz](https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/220209160634-hannah-rabinowitz-headshot.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_270,w_480,c_fill\/c_thumb,g_face,w_50,h_50)](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/hannah-rabinowitz-bio)[Hannah Rabinowitz](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/hannah-rabinowitz-bio)\n\n,\n\n[![Marshall Cohen](https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/1506450-2662-r-ps2560x1440.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_270,w_480,c_fill\/c_thumb,g_face,w_50,h_50)](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/marshall-cohen)[Marshall Cohen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/marshall-cohen)\n\nUpdated Sep 9, 2025, 12:14 PM ET\n\nPublished Sep 9, 2025, 10:56 AM ET\n\nUpdated\n\nSep 9, 2025, 12:14 PM ET\n\nPUBLISHED\n\nSep 9, 2025, 10:56 AM ET\n\n![The Michigan State Capitol stands in Lansing, May 24, 2023.](https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/ap25052689303068.jpg?c=original&q=w_860,c_fill)\n\nThe Michigan State Capitol stands in Lansing, May 24, 2023.\n\nCarlos Osorio\/AP\/File\n\nDonald Trump\n\nTrump legal cases\n\nUS elections\n\n[See all topics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow)\n\nFacebook\n\nTweet\n\n[Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F09%2F09%2Fpolitics%2Fmichigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans \"Share with email\")\n\nLink\n\nThreads\n\nLink Copied\\!\n\nFollow\n\nA Michigan state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against the [fake electors](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/07\/18\/politics\/michigan-fake-electors) who signed certificates falsely claiming President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election, saying that the state failed to prove the 15 men and women were knowingly trying to break the law.\n\nThe group includes current and former state GOP officials, a Republican National Committee member, a mayor, a school board member and Trump supporters who were the plaintiffs in a frivolous lawsuit that tried to overturn the 2020 results. Each was facing eight charges.\n\n“This is a fraud case, and we have to (prove) intent, and I don’t believe that there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent,” Judge Kristen Simmons said from the bench Tuesday in her Lansing courtroom.\n\nThe ruling ends the criminal prosecutions, which sought to punish state-level actors for ignoring the popular vote results, which went in favor of Joe Biden, and instead institute the will of political actors who supported Trump.\n\nThe outcome is a staggering blow to the efforts to hold the 2020 fake electors and their allies accountable, though there are still pending cases in [Nevada](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F12%2F12%2Fpolitics%2Fnevada-2020-fake-electors-charges&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122338075%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GxNthyneLrdT7JGe6Ih8FYsurUXSVTJz9Tub%2F91vV6M%3D&reserved=0), [Arizona](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F08%2F26%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-allies-arizona-election-subversion&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122354109%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4sPC0QLJdZb0VpzPEKV79kslDlRpI6QdNVPXsdQPNis%3D&reserved=0) and [Wisconsin](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F04%2Fpolitics%2Fwisconsin-2020-fake-electors-scheme&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122370545%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NIvkdAMB3jZkgh4tEMpu48bxHxJd4V6%2BqVh6Q5XAxfk%3D&reserved=0). Federal charges against Trump, which touched on his involvement in the fake electors plot, were dropped after he won the 2024 election. And the sweeping Georgia racketeering case against Trump and some of the fake electors is also [stalled](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F05%2Fpolitics%2Fgeorgia-trump-fani-willis-trial-delay&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122386679%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WsiosaTs1UaNoWOqRrcvETXa7%2FOC8moHE0GsKlLYmUE%3D&reserved=0).\n\nMichigan was one of the seven battleground states where the Trump campaign put forward slates of “fake electors” as part of a plan to undermine the Electoral College process and potentially disrupt Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021.\n\nIn issuing her ruling, Simmons said the fake electors truly believed they were carrying out their constitutional duty by signing the fake documents.\n\n“Right, wrong or indifferent, it was these individuals and many other individuals in the state of Michigan who sincerely believe, for some reason, that there were some serious irregularities with the election, or with the voting, and that somehow their candidate didn’t receive all the votes that was intended to for them,” the judge said.\n\nTheir actions were “prompted by that belief,” she said, and therefore lack the criminal intent required to convict.\n\nMichigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat who brought the case, said at a press conference after the hearing that she believed the judge made a “very wrong decision.”\n\nThe GOP electors “knew Donald Trump lost, they lied anyway, and that is a crime,” Nessel said, referring to the now-dismissed felony charge of signing fraudulent election papers.\n\n“This is the most dangerous slippery slope for American democracy, when courts decide that violations of election laws shouldn’t even be heard by a jury,” Nessel said. “I am terrified for the 2026 elections… If they can get away with this, what can’t they get away with next?”\n\nProsecutors can appeal the decision and Nessel said Tuesday that her office is “evaluating” its next steps.\n\nLawyers representing the Michigan fake electors hailed the ruling.\n\n“This was a farce from the beginning,” Nick Somberg, lawyer for fake elector [Meshawn Maddock](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2023%2F09%2F07%2Fpolitics%2Fkfile-meshawn-maddock-fake-elector-planning-trump-attorneys&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122297266%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=L%2FEchNN2HVkgPhOtcqFIvZrHqEZqNGf9BU1lHky24ec%3D&reserved=0), told CNN on Tuesday. “There was no forgery. There was no conspiracy. There was no fraud. We’ve been maintaining their innocence since day one. And Dana Nessel needs to be held accountable.”\n\nKevin Kijewski, an attorney for fake elector [Clifford Frost](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F01%2F18%2Fpolitics%2Fmichigan-2020-fake-trump-electors-case&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122321638%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=gZ0aMKTopTOSaLqWawKHMkb%2FoZvsz%2BPkyTgJ%2FgbTPBo%3D&reserved=0), said in a statement that the dismissal of all charges shows that this was “a weak case driven by politics rather than facts.”\n\n“This was a political calculation, not a pursuit of truth or justice,” said Kijewski, who is running for the GOP nomination to replace Nessel next year as Michigan attorney general.\n\n*This story has been updated with additional comment and details.*\n\nDonald Trump\n\nTrump legal cases\n\nUS elections\n\n[See all topics](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow)\n\nFacebook\n\nTweet\n\n[Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F09%2F09%2Fpolitics%2Fmichigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans \"Share with email\")\n\nLink\n\nThreads\n\nLink Copied\\!\n\nFollow\n\nAd Feedback\n\nAd Feedback\n\nSubscribe\n***\nSign in\n\nMy Account\n\n- [Settings](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/account\/settings)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters)\n- [Topics you follow](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/follow?iid=fw_var-nav)\n- [Sign out](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/09\/09\/politics\/michigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans)\n\nYour CNN account Sign in to your CNN account\n***\n[Listen](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/audio)   [Watch](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/watch)\n***\n- [US](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/us)\n  - 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A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved.   \n CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.\n\n## Download the CNN app\nScan the QR code to download the CNN app on Google Play.\n\n![Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from Google Play.](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/google-play-cnn-app-qr-code.png)\n\n## Download the CNN app\nScan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store.\n\n![Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store.](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/media\/sites\/cnn\/app-store-cnn-app-qr-code.png)","attrs_readable_markdown":"A Michigan state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against the [fake electors](https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/07\/18\/politics\/michigan-fake-electors) who signed certificates falsely claiming President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election, saying that the state failed to prove the 15 men and women were knowingly trying to break the law.\n\nThe group includes current and former state GOP officials, a Republican National Committee member, a mayor, a school board member and Trump supporters who were the plaintiffs in a frivolous lawsuit that tried to overturn the 2020 results. Each was facing eight charges.\n\n“This is a fraud case, and we have to (prove) intent, and I don’t believe that there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent,” Judge Kristen Simmons said from the bench Tuesday in her Lansing courtroom.\n\nThe ruling ends the criminal prosecutions, which sought to punish state-level actors for ignoring the popular vote results, which went in favor of Joe Biden, and instead institute the will of political actors who supported Trump.\n\nThe outcome is a staggering blow to the efforts to hold the 2020 fake electors and their allies accountable, though there are still pending cases in [Nevada](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F12%2F12%2Fpolitics%2Fnevada-2020-fake-electors-charges&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122338075%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GxNthyneLrdT7JGe6Ih8FYsurUXSVTJz9Tub%2F91vV6M%3D&reserved=0), [Arizona](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F08%2F26%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-allies-arizona-election-subversion&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122354109%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4sPC0QLJdZb0VpzPEKV79kslDlRpI6QdNVPXsdQPNis%3D&reserved=0) and [Wisconsin](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F04%2Fpolitics%2Fwisconsin-2020-fake-electors-scheme&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122370545%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NIvkdAMB3jZkgh4tEMpu48bxHxJd4V6%2BqVh6Q5XAxfk%3D&reserved=0). Federal charges against Trump, which touched on his involvement in the fake electors plot, were dropped after he won the 2024 election. And the sweeping Georgia racketeering case against Trump and some of the fake electors is also [stalled](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F05%2Fpolitics%2Fgeorgia-trump-fani-willis-trial-delay&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122386679%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WsiosaTs1UaNoWOqRrcvETXa7%2FOC8moHE0GsKlLYmUE%3D&reserved=0).\n\nMichigan was one of the seven battleground states where the Trump campaign put forward slates of “fake electors” as part of a plan to undermine the Electoral College process and potentially disrupt Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021.\n\nIn issuing her ruling, Simmons said the fake electors truly believed they were carrying out their constitutional duty by signing the fake documents.\n\n“Right, wrong or indifferent, it was these individuals and many other individuals in the state of Michigan who sincerely believe, for some reason, that there were some serious irregularities with the election, or with the voting, and that somehow their candidate didn’t receive all the votes that was intended to for them,” the judge said.\n\nTheir actions were “prompted by that belief,” she said, and therefore lack the criminal intent required to convict.\n\nMichigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat who brought the case, said at a press conference after the hearing that she believed the judge made a “very wrong decision.”\n\nThe GOP electors “knew Donald Trump lost, they lied anyway, and that is a crime,” Nessel said, referring to the now-dismissed felony charge of signing fraudulent election papers.\n\n“This is the most dangerous slippery slope for American democracy, when courts decide that violations of election laws shouldn’t even be heard by a jury,” Nessel said. “I am terrified for the 2026 elections… If they can get away with this, what can’t they get away with next?”\n\nProsecutors can appeal the decision and Nessel said Tuesday that her office is “evaluating” its next steps.\n\nLawyers representing the Michigan fake electors hailed the ruling.\n\n“This was a farce from the beginning,” Nick Somberg, lawyer for fake elector [Meshawn Maddock](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2023%2F09%2F07%2Fpolitics%2Fkfile-meshawn-maddock-fake-elector-planning-trump-attorneys&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122297266%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=L%2FEchNN2HVkgPhOtcqFIvZrHqEZqNGf9BU1lHky24ec%3D&reserved=0), told CNN on Tuesday. “There was no forgery. There was no conspiracy. There was no fraud. We’ve been maintaining their innocence since day one. And Dana Nessel needs to be held accountable.”\n\nKevin Kijewski, an attorney for fake elector [Clifford Frost](https:\/\/nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F01%2F18%2Fpolitics%2Fmichigan-2020-fake-trump-electors-case&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122321638%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=gZ0aMKTopTOSaLqWawKHMkb%2FoZvsz%2BPkyTgJ%2FgbTPBo%3D&reserved=0), said in a statement that the dismissal of all charges shows that this was “a weak case driven by politics rather than facts.”\n\n“This was a political calculation, not a pursuit of truth or justice,” said Kijewski, who is running for the GOP nomination to replace Nessel next year as Michigan attorney general.\n\n*This story has been updated with additional comment and details.*","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/09/politics/michigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans
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Meta Title	Michigan judge dismisses charges against fake electors who signed papers saying Trump won the state in 2020 \| CNN Politics
Meta Description	A Michigan state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against the fake electors who signed certificates falsely claiming President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election, saying that the state failed to prove the 15 men and women were knowingly trying to break the law.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	A Michigan state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against the fake electors who signed certificates falsely claiming President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election, saying that the state failed to prove the 15 men and women were knowingly trying to break the law. The group includes current and former state GOP officials, a Republican National Committee member, a mayor, a school board member and Trump supporters who were the plaintiffs in a frivolous lawsuit that tried to overturn the 2020 results. Each was facing eight charges. “This is a fraud case, and we have to (prove) intent, and I don’t believe that there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent,” Judge Kristen Simmons said from the bench Tuesday in her Lansing courtroom. The ruling ends the criminal prosecutions, which sought to punish state-level actors for ignoring the popular vote results, which went in favor of Joe Biden, and instead institute the will of political actors who supported Trump. The outcome is a staggering blow to the efforts to hold the 2020 fake electors and their allies accountable, though there are still pending cases in Nevada , Arizona and Wisconsin . Federal charges against Trump, which touched on his involvement in the fake electors plot, were dropped after he won the 2024 election. And the sweeping Georgia racketeering case against Trump and some of the fake electors is also stalled . Michigan was one of the seven battleground states where the Trump campaign put forward slates of “fake electors” as part of a plan to undermine the Electoral College process and potentially disrupt Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021. In issuing her ruling, Simmons said the fake electors truly believed they were carrying out their constitutional duty by signing the fake documents. “Right, wrong or indifferent, it was these individuals and many other individuals in the state of Michigan who sincerely believe, for some reason, that there were some serious irregularities with the election, or with the voting, and that somehow their candidate didn’t receive all the votes that was intended to for them,” the judge said. Their actions were “prompted by that belief,” she said, and therefore lack the criminal intent required to convict. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat who brought the case, said at a press conference after the hearing that she believed the judge made a “very wrong decision.” The GOP electors “knew Donald Trump lost, they lied anyway, and that is a crime,” Nessel said, referring to the now-dismissed felony charge of signing fraudulent election papers. “This is the most dangerous slippery slope for American democracy, when courts decide that violations of election laws shouldn’t even be heard by a jury,” Nessel said. “I am terrified for the 2026 elections… If they can get away with this, what can’t they get away with next?” Prosecutors can appeal the decision and Nessel said Tuesday that her office is “evaluating” its next steps. Lawyers representing the Michigan fake electors hailed the ruling. “This was a farce from the beginning,” Nick Somberg, lawyer for fake elector Meshawn Maddock , told CNN on Tuesday. “There was no forgery. There was no conspiracy. There was no fraud. We’ve been maintaining their innocence since day one. And Dana Nessel needs to be held accountable.” Kevin Kijewski, an attorney for fake elector Clifford Frost , said in a statement that the dismissal of all charges shows that this was “a weak case driven by politics rather than facts.” “This was a political calculation, not a pursuit of truth or justice,” said Kijewski, who is running for the GOP nomination to replace Nessel next year as Michigan attorney general. This story has been updated with additional comment and details.
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November 2021, Shoot ID: 1089822 , 11/16/2021, Hannah Rabinowitz](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/220209160634-hannah-rabinowitz-headshot.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_270,w_480,c_fill/c_thumb,g_face,w_50,h_50)](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/hannah-rabinowitz-bio)[Hannah Rabinowitz](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/hannah-rabinowitz-bio) , [![Marshall Cohen](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/1506450-2662-r-ps2560x1440.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_270,w_480,c_fill/c_thumb,g_face,w_50,h_50)](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/marshall-cohen)[Marshall Cohen](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/marshall-cohen) Updated Sep 9, 2025, 12:14 PM ET Published Sep 9, 2025, 10:56 AM ET Updated Sep 9, 2025, 12:14 PM ET PUBLISHED Sep 9, 2025, 10:56 AM ET ![The Michigan State Capitol stands in Lansing, May 24, 2023.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/ap25052689303068.jpg?c=original&q=w_860,c_fill) The Michigan State Capitol stands in Lansing, May 24, 2023. Carlos Osorio/AP/File Donald Trump Trump legal cases US elections [See all topics](https://www.cnn.com/follow) Facebook Tweet [Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F09%2F09%2Fpolitics%2Fmichigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans "Share with email") Link Threads Link Copied\! Follow A Michigan state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against the [fake electors](https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/18/politics/michigan-fake-electors) who signed certificates falsely claiming President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election, saying that the state failed to prove the 15 men and women were knowingly trying to break the law. The group includes current and former state GOP officials, a Republican National Committee member, a mayor, a school board member and Trump supporters who were the plaintiffs in a frivolous lawsuit that tried to overturn the 2020 results. Each was facing eight charges. “This is a fraud case, and we have to (prove) intent, and I don’t believe that there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent,” Judge Kristen Simmons said from the bench Tuesday in her Lansing courtroom. The ruling ends the criminal prosecutions, which sought to punish state-level actors for ignoring the popular vote results, which went in favor of Joe Biden, and instead institute the will of political actors who supported Trump. The outcome is a staggering blow to the efforts to hold the 2020 fake electors and their allies accountable, though there are still pending cases in [Nevada](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F12%2F12%2Fpolitics%2Fnevada-2020-fake-electors-charges&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122338075%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GxNthyneLrdT7JGe6Ih8FYsurUXSVTJz9Tub%2F91vV6M%3D&reserved=0), [Arizona](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F08%2F26%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-allies-arizona-election-subversion&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122354109%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4sPC0QLJdZb0VpzPEKV79kslDlRpI6QdNVPXsdQPNis%3D&reserved=0) and [Wisconsin](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F04%2Fpolitics%2Fwisconsin-2020-fake-electors-scheme&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122370545%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NIvkdAMB3jZkgh4tEMpu48bxHxJd4V6%2BqVh6Q5XAxfk%3D&reserved=0). Federal charges against Trump, which touched on his involvement in the fake electors plot, were dropped after he won the 2024 election. And the sweeping Georgia racketeering case against Trump and some of the fake electors is also [stalled](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F05%2Fpolitics%2Fgeorgia-trump-fani-willis-trial-delay&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122386679%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WsiosaTs1UaNoWOqRrcvETXa7%2FOC8moHE0GsKlLYmUE%3D&reserved=0). Michigan was one of the seven battleground states where the Trump campaign put forward slates of “fake electors” as part of a plan to undermine the Electoral College process and potentially disrupt Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021. In issuing her ruling, Simmons said the fake electors truly believed they were carrying out their constitutional duty by signing the fake documents. “Right, wrong or indifferent, it was these individuals and many other individuals in the state of Michigan who sincerely believe, for some reason, that there were some serious irregularities with the election, or with the voting, and that somehow their candidate didn’t receive all the votes that was intended to for them,” the judge said. Their actions were “prompted by that belief,” she said, and therefore lack the criminal intent required to convict. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat who brought the case, said at a press conference after the hearing that she believed the judge made a “very wrong decision.” The GOP electors “knew Donald Trump lost, they lied anyway, and that is a crime,” Nessel said, referring to the now-dismissed felony charge of signing fraudulent election papers. “This is the most dangerous slippery slope for American democracy, when courts decide that violations of election laws shouldn’t even be heard by a jury,” Nessel said. “I am terrified for the 2026 elections… If they can get away with this, what can’t they get away with next?” Prosecutors can appeal the decision and Nessel said Tuesday that her office is “evaluating” its next steps. Lawyers representing the Michigan fake electors hailed the ruling. “This was a farce from the beginning,” Nick Somberg, lawyer for fake elector [Meshawn Maddock](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2023%2F09%2F07%2Fpolitics%2Fkfile-meshawn-maddock-fake-elector-planning-trump-attorneys&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122297266%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=L%2FEchNN2HVkgPhOtcqFIvZrHqEZqNGf9BU1lHky24ec%3D&reserved=0), told CNN on Tuesday. “There was no forgery. There was no conspiracy. There was no fraud. We’ve been maintaining their innocence since day one. And Dana Nessel needs to be held accountable.” Kevin Kijewski, an attorney for fake elector [Clifford Frost](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F01%2F18%2Fpolitics%2Fmichigan-2020-fake-trump-electors-case&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122321638%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=gZ0aMKTopTOSaLqWawKHMkb%2FoZvsz%2BPkyTgJ%2FgbTPBo%3D&reserved=0), said in a statement that the dismissal of all charges shows that this was “a weak case driven by politics rather than facts.” “This was a political calculation, not a pursuit of truth or justice,” said Kijewski, who is running for the GOP nomination to replace Nessel next year as Michigan attorney general. This story has been updated with additional comment and details. Donald Trump Trump legal cases US elections [See all topics](https://www.cnn.com/follow) Facebook Tweet [Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F09%2F09%2Fpolitics%2Fmichigan-fake-electors-2020-republicans "Share with email") Link Threads Link Copied\! 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Readable Markdown	A Michigan state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against the [fake electors](https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/18/politics/michigan-fake-electors) who signed certificates falsely claiming President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election, saying that the state failed to prove the 15 men and women were knowingly trying to break the law. The group includes current and former state GOP officials, a Republican National Committee member, a mayor, a school board member and Trump supporters who were the plaintiffs in a frivolous lawsuit that tried to overturn the 2020 results. Each was facing eight charges. “This is a fraud case, and we have to (prove) intent, and I don’t believe that there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent,” Judge Kristen Simmons said from the bench Tuesday in her Lansing courtroom. The ruling ends the criminal prosecutions, which sought to punish state-level actors for ignoring the popular vote results, which went in favor of Joe Biden, and instead institute the will of political actors who supported Trump. The outcome is a staggering blow to the efforts to hold the 2020 fake electors and their allies accountable, though there are still pending cases in [Nevada](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F12%2F12%2Fpolitics%2Fnevada-2020-fake-electors-charges&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122338075%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GxNthyneLrdT7JGe6Ih8FYsurUXSVTJz9Tub%2F91vV6M%3D&reserved=0), [Arizona](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F08%2F26%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-allies-arizona-election-subversion&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122354109%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4sPC0QLJdZb0VpzPEKV79kslDlRpI6QdNVPXsdQPNis%3D&reserved=0) and [Wisconsin](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F04%2Fpolitics%2Fwisconsin-2020-fake-electors-scheme&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122370545%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NIvkdAMB3jZkgh4tEMpu48bxHxJd4V6%2BqVh6Q5XAxfk%3D&reserved=0). Federal charges against Trump, which touched on his involvement in the fake electors plot, were dropped after he won the 2024 election. And the sweeping Georgia racketeering case against Trump and some of the fake electors is also [stalled](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F06%2F05%2Fpolitics%2Fgeorgia-trump-fani-willis-trial-delay&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122386679%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WsiosaTs1UaNoWOqRrcvETXa7%2FOC8moHE0GsKlLYmUE%3D&reserved=0). Michigan was one of the seven battleground states where the Trump campaign put forward slates of “fake electors” as part of a plan to undermine the Electoral College process and potentially disrupt Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021. In issuing her ruling, Simmons said the fake electors truly believed they were carrying out their constitutional duty by signing the fake documents. “Right, wrong or indifferent, it was these individuals and many other individuals in the state of Michigan who sincerely believe, for some reason, that there were some serious irregularities with the election, or with the voting, and that somehow their candidate didn’t receive all the votes that was intended to for them,” the judge said. Their actions were “prompted by that belief,” she said, and therefore lack the criminal intent required to convict. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat who brought the case, said at a press conference after the hearing that she believed the judge made a “very wrong decision.” The GOP electors “knew Donald Trump lost, they lied anyway, and that is a crime,” Nessel said, referring to the now-dismissed felony charge of signing fraudulent election papers. “This is the most dangerous slippery slope for American democracy, when courts decide that violations of election laws shouldn’t even be heard by a jury,” Nessel said. “I am terrified for the 2026 elections… If they can get away with this, what can’t they get away with next?” Prosecutors can appeal the decision and Nessel said Tuesday that her office is “evaluating” its next steps. Lawyers representing the Michigan fake electors hailed the ruling. “This was a farce from the beginning,” Nick Somberg, lawyer for fake elector [Meshawn Maddock](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2023%2F09%2F07%2Fpolitics%2Fkfile-meshawn-maddock-fake-elector-planning-trump-attorneys&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122297266%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=L%2FEchNN2HVkgPhOtcqFIvZrHqEZqNGf9BU1lHky24ec%3D&reserved=0), told CNN on Tuesday. “There was no forgery. There was no conspiracy. There was no fraud. We’ve been maintaining their innocence since day one. And Dana Nessel needs to be held accountable.” Kevin Kijewski, an attorney for fake elector [Clifford Frost](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2024%2F01%2F18%2Fpolitics%2Fmichigan-2020-fake-trump-electors-case&data=05%7C02%7CDan.Berman%40cnn.com%7C2ba01143e1474ab95af108ddefb6b181%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638930290122321638%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=gZ0aMKTopTOSaLqWawKHMkb%2FoZvsz%2BPkyTgJ%2FgbTPBo%3D&reserved=0), said in a statement that the dismissal of all charges shows that this was “a weak case driven by politics rather than facts.” “This was a political calculation, not a pursuit of truth or justice,” said Kijewski, who is running for the GOP nomination to replace Nessel next year as Michigan attorney general. This story has been updated with additional comment and details.
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