Judge dismisses charges against 6 'alternate electors' in Nevada
Judge dismisses charges against 6 'alternate electors' in Nevada
The charges were related to their alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
BySoo Rin Kim and Laura Romero
June 21, 2024, 4:11 PM
A Clark County, Nevada, judge on Friday dismissed the charges filed by Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford against six so-called "alternate electors" related to their alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in favor of former President Donald Trump.
The move makes the Nevada case the first one among the five state-level 2020 fake elector cases to be dismissed.
Judge Mary Kay Holthus ruled during a hearing Friday that she is not convinced that Clark County is the appropriate jurisdiction for the case, given the allegedly fake elector documents were originally mailed from Douglas County and the so-called false signing ceremony took place in Carson City -- both in western Nevada.
MORE: Nevada attorney general announces charges against 6 Trump 'alternate electors'
The defendants' attorneys had argued that Carson City or Douglas County would be a more appropriate jurisdiction for the case.
"We disagree with the judge's decision and will be appealing immediately," a spokesperson for the Nevada attorney general's office told ABC News.
According to the Nevada Independent, the attorney general is unable to re-file the case in Carson City or Douglas County because a three-year statute of limitations expired in December.
The six so-called "alternate electors" were indicted last December on charges of falsely portraying themselves as Nevada's presidential electors after the last presidential election -- each charged with felonies including offering a false instrument for filing, offering a forged instrument, and offering a false instrument titled "Certificate of the Votes of the 2020 Electors from Nevada" to the state and federal governments.
A "Vote Here Today" sign is seen outside a polling station, Nov. 3, 2020, in Fallon, Nev.Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Those charged were some of Nevada Republican Party's top officials, as well as Trump's key allies in the state, including Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald, Nevada Republican Party National Committeeman Jim DeGraffenreid, Nevada Republican Party Vice Chairman Jim Hindle, Clark County Republican Party Chairman Jesse Law, and Republican operatives Shawn Meehan and Eileen Rice.
Trump and 18 others pleaded not guilty last August to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia.
In Arizona, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, several Trump allies and several alleged fake electors pleaded not guilty in May for their alleged efforts to overturn that state's 2020 election results.
In Michigan, Attorney General Dana Nessel charged 16 "alternate electors" last July for conspiracy to commit forgery, among other charges.
Three Trump associates allegedly tied to the former president's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election were also charged with forgery earlier this month in Wisconsin.