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| Meta Title | Michigan judge dismisses charges against 15 pro-Trump ‘fake electors’ - OPB |
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| Boilerpipe Text | Michigan District Court Judge Kristen Simmons speaks Tuesday in Lansing while dismissing the criminal cases against 15 people accused of acting falsely as electors for Donald Trump in the 2020 election.
Paul Sancya
A Michigan judge has dismissed criminal charges against 15 people who signed false certificates saying Donald Trump won the state’s electoral votes in 2020. Trump lost the state and the presidency to Joe Biden.
It’s the latest loss in prosecutors’ efforts to hold accountable people associated with Trump’s attempt to overturn his election loss.
In May, an Arizona judge sent that state’s so-called “fake elector” case
back to a grand jury
. The Nevada case is
stuck in a jurisdictional appeal
after a court dismissed the case last year. In Georgia, the Fulton County district attorney’s office is
fighting to keep its prosecution alive
after a court ruled that the DA’s office should be removed from the case.
And, notably, the federal election interference case against Trump himself was
dropped
when he was reelected president.
In Michigan, Judge Kristen Simmons dismissed the charges during
a court hearing
Tuesday, citing a lack of evidence.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
“This is a fraud case, and we have to prove intent,” the judge said. “And I don’t believe there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat,
announced the charges more than two years ago
. Sixteen people were originally indicted, but charges were dropped against one of them in exchange for their cooperation.
As Nessel’s office said in a statement in 2023: “These defendants are alleged to have met covertly in the basement of the Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14th [2020], and signed their names to multiple certificates stating they were the ‘duly elected and qualified electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America for the State of Michigan.’”
Some pro-Trump 2020 electors have defended their actions by saying they were merely doing so in case Trump’s challenges of the election were successful.
In an appearance with reporters Tuesday, Nessel criticized the judge’s ruling and stood by her prosecution.
“The evidence was clear. They lied. They knew they lied,” she said of the defendants. “And they tried to steal the votes of millions of Michiganders.”
Nessel said her office is “evaluating” a decision about appealing.
Michigan Public’s
Steve Carmody
contributed reporting.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR: |
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# Michigan judge dismisses charges against 15 pro-Trump ‘fake electors’
By Benjamin Swasey (NPR)
Sept. 9, 2025 5:11 p.m.
Michigan District Court Judge Kristen Simmons speaks Tuesday in Lansing while dismissing the criminal cases against 15 people accused of acting falsely as electors for Donald Trump in the 2020 election.
*Paul Sancya*
A Michigan judge has dismissed criminal charges against 15 people who signed false certificates saying Donald Trump won the state’s electoral votes in 2020. Trump lost the state and the presidency to Joe Biden.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
[Become a Sponsor](https://www.opb.org/sponsorship/)
It’s the latest loss in prosecutors’ efforts to hold accountable people associated with Trump’s attempt to overturn his election loss.
In May, an Arizona judge sent that state’s so-called “fake elector” case [back to a grand jury](https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2025-05-19/judge-sends-arizona-fake-electors-case-back-to-grand-jury). The Nevada case is [stuck in a jurisdictional appeal](https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nevada-supreme-court-weighs-whether-fake-electors-case-can-proceed-in-clark-county) after a court dismissed the case last year. In Georgia, the Fulton County district attorney’s office is [fighting to keep its prosecution alive](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/24/nx-s1-5302917/fani-willis-president-trump-georgia-case) after a court ruled that the DA’s office should be removed from the case.
And, notably, the federal election interference case against Trump himself was [dropped](https://www.npr.org/2024/11/25/nx-s1-5205376/jan-6-trump-case) when he was reelected president.
In Michigan, Judge Kristen Simmons dismissed the charges during [a court hearing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thtdqf-flMc) Tuesday, citing a lack of evidence.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
[Become a Sponsor](https://www.opb.org/sponsorship/)
“This is a fraud case, and we have to prove intent,” the judge said. “And I don’t believe there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, [announced the charges more than two years ago](https://www.npr.org/2023/07/18/1188437637/michigans-fake-elector-charges). Sixteen people were originally indicted, but charges were dropped against one of them in exchange for their cooperation.
As Nessel’s office said in a statement in 2023: “These defendants are alleged to have met covertly in the basement of the Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14th \[2020\], and signed their names to multiple certificates stating they were the ‘duly elected and qualified electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America for the State of Michigan.’”
Some pro-Trump 2020 electors have defended their actions by saying they were merely doing so in case Trump’s challenges of the election were successful.
In an appearance with reporters Tuesday, Nessel criticized the judge’s ruling and stood by her prosecution.
“The evidence was clear. They lied. They knew they lied,” she said of the defendants. “And they tried to steal the votes of millions of Michiganders.”
Nessel said her office is “evaluating” a decision about appealing.
*Michigan Public’s* [*Steve Carmody*](https://www.michiganpublic.org/people/steve-carmody) *contributed reporting.*
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[Become a Sponsor](https://www.opb.org/sponsorship/)
***
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## Related Stories
## ['Fake electors' from 2020 are casting 2024 votes for Trump while facing felony charges](https://www.opb.org/article/2024/12/17/fake-electors-michigan-nevada-trump/)
Eight of the Republicans set to cast Michigan and Nevada's 2024 Electoral College votes for President-elect Donald Trump still face felony charges related to efforts to reverse Trump's 2020 loss.
Dec. 17, 2024
## [14 pro-Trump electors linked to efforts to reverse his 2020 loss are back for 2024](https://www.opb.org/article/2024/10/03/14-pro-trump-electors-from-2020-are-returning-for-2024/)
The return of 14 Republican presidential electors linked to efforts to reverse Donald Trump’s 2020 loss raises questions about what they will do if Trump loses again in their states.
Oct. 3, 2024
## [Meadows, Giuliani, 11 ‘fake electors’ from 2020 are among those indicted in Arizona](https://www.opb.org/article/2024/04/26/meadows-giuliani-11-fake-electors-from-2020-are-among-those-indicted-in-arizona/)
A grand jury in Arizona has indicted a slew of Trump allies for their efforts to try to keep him in power after the 2020 election. Arizona is now the fourth state where "fake electors" face charges.
April 26, 2024
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| Readable Markdown | 
Michigan District Court Judge Kristen Simmons speaks Tuesday in Lansing while dismissing the criminal cases against 15 people accused of acting falsely as electors for Donald Trump in the 2020 election.
*Paul Sancya*
A Michigan judge has dismissed criminal charges against 15 people who signed false certificates saying Donald Trump won the state’s electoral votes in 2020. Trump lost the state and the presidency to Joe Biden.
It’s the latest loss in prosecutors’ efforts to hold accountable people associated with Trump’s attempt to overturn his election loss.
In May, an Arizona judge sent that state’s so-called “fake elector” case [back to a grand jury](https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2025-05-19/judge-sends-arizona-fake-electors-case-back-to-grand-jury). The Nevada case is [stuck in a jurisdictional appeal](https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nevada-supreme-court-weighs-whether-fake-electors-case-can-proceed-in-clark-county) after a court dismissed the case last year. In Georgia, the Fulton County district attorney’s office is [fighting to keep its prosecution alive](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/24/nx-s1-5302917/fani-willis-president-trump-georgia-case) after a court ruled that the DA’s office should be removed from the case.
And, notably, the federal election interference case against Trump himself was [dropped](https://www.npr.org/2024/11/25/nx-s1-5205376/jan-6-trump-case) when he was reelected president.
In Michigan, Judge Kristen Simmons dismissed the charges during [a court hearing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thtdqf-flMc) Tuesday, citing a lack of evidence.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
“This is a fraud case, and we have to prove intent,” the judge said. “And I don’t believe there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, [announced the charges more than two years ago](https://www.npr.org/2023/07/18/1188437637/michigans-fake-elector-charges). Sixteen people were originally indicted, but charges were dropped against one of them in exchange for their cooperation.
As Nessel’s office said in a statement in 2023: “These defendants are alleged to have met covertly in the basement of the Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14th \[2020\], and signed their names to multiple certificates stating they were the ‘duly elected and qualified electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America for the State of Michigan.’”
Some pro-Trump 2020 electors have defended their actions by saying they were merely doing so in case Trump’s challenges of the election were successful.
In an appearance with reporters Tuesday, Nessel criticized the judge’s ruling and stood by her prosecution.
“The evidence was clear. They lied. They knew they lied,” she said of the defendants. “And they tried to steal the votes of millions of Michiganders.”
Nessel said her office is “evaluating” a decision about appealing.
*Michigan Public’s* [*Steve Carmody*](https://www.michiganpublic.org/people/steve-carmody) *contributed reporting.*
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
*** |
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