Michigan Attorney General Files Felony Charges Against 16 Republicans for Attempting to Overturn 2020 Election Results

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Tuesday that she has filed felony charges against 16 Republicans who acted as fake electors for then-President Donald Trump in 2020. The charges come as part of an investigation into the January 6th riot and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

The individuals are accused of submitting false certificates confirming they were legitimate electors despite Joe Biden’s victory in the state. U.S. presidents are technically voted in by slates of electors from each state who cast their votes for the candidate selected by their states’ popular vote.

In December 2020, as Trump tried to overturn the results of the election, his allies readied alternative slates of electors in several states. Nessel announced Tuesday that all 16 individuals would get eight criminal charges, including two counts of forgery, which is a 14-year felony.

“It would be malfeasance of the greatest magnitude if my department failed to act here in the face of overwhelming evidence of an organized effort to circumvent the lawfully cast ballots of millions,” Nessel said in a statement.

The charges come as the Trump administration faces increasing scrutiny over its role in the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. Trump has denied any involvement in the riot and has said he has been notified that he is the target of an investigation by a Washington-based grand jury.

The charges against the 16 individuals are a reminder of the lengths Trump and his allies went to in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The individuals now face serious criminal charges for their alleged role in the scheme.