This article highlights a striking development in Nevada politics related to the controversial events surrounding the 2020 U.S. presidential election and the legal consequences for those involved. In December 2020, a group of six Nevada Republicans, including state party leaders Michael McDonald and Jesse Law, signed false certificates claiming that Donald Trump had won Nevada’s electoral votes.
This act was part of a broader effort by Trump’s legal team to send alternate electors to Washington, D.C., in hopes of overturning the election results. Despite the January 6 Capitol riot and the attempted interference, the legitimate electors’ votes were counted, and Joe Biden was officially declared the winner.
The state’s Attorney General, Aaron Ford, later sought to hold those involved accountable. A bill to criminalize signing false Electoral College certificates passed the Nevada legislature but was vetoed by Republican Governor Joe Lombardo.
Ford instead turned to the courts, with a Clark County grand jury indicting the fake electors under existing laws for filing false documents. However, a district court judge dismissed the case, ruling that the charges should have been filed in the counties where the alleged actions occurred.
The case has now moved to the Nevada Supreme Court, with further arguments underway. In a twist of irony, as Trump, who still insists he won the 2020 election, prepares for a possible 2024 victory, McDonald and Law are set to sign the legitimate Electoral College certificates in December 2024.
This raises questions about whether the ongoing legal case against them will result in felony charges or be dismissed altogether. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the men involved and for future attempts to undermine the integrity of the electoral process.