The lead prosecutor in Nevada is urging the state Supreme Court to affirm the indictments of six Republicans accused of submitting a fake certificate to Congress proclaiming Donald Trump as the victor in Nevada’s 2020 election. Officials claimed this was part of a broader effort in seven battleground states to maintain Trump in the White House after his loss to Joe Biden. Criminal cases related to this matter have also been initiated in Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona. The outcome of Nevada’s “fake electors” case is currently uncertain.
Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus recently upheld her decision that Las Vegas was an improper venue for the case, resulting in the charges being dismissed. In response, the office of Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat, filed an appeal right after the judge’s written order was issued. The Attorney General’s office expressed confidence in their case and emphasized their commitment to holding the individuals accountable for their actions.
The individuals facing charges include state GOP chairman Michael McDonald, Clark County GOP chairman Jesse Law, and several others. They were indicted by a grand jury in Las Vegas last December, just before the statute of limitations expired. The defendants were charged with felonies that carry a maximum penalty of four to five years in prison.
One of the defense attorneys, Monti Levy, expressed confidence that Judge Holthus’ decision will be upheld. The defense argued that the case was improperly brought before a Democratic-leaning Las Vegas grand jury instead of a northern Nevada city where the alleged crimes took place. Ford’s office contended that the crimes were not limited to a single county.
It remains unclear if oral arguments have been scheduled before the Nevada Supreme Court as the court records did not provide clear information. In the 2020 election, Trump lost to Biden by over 30,000 votes in Nevada, and a Republican-led investigation found no substantial evidence of widespread voter fraud in the state.
