Under the first count, Smith elaborated on the alternate electors in the seven states, calling them "Fake" and "Fraudulent." The alternate electors were Republican electors chosen by their respective state parties to cast electoral votes for the Republican candidate in the general election if that candidate won the state.
These electors allegedly signed documents saying that they were in fact Electoral College voters, with Pennsylvania adding a caveat that their votes would only be valid if they were recognized as "Duly elected and qualified electors." Each state handled the alternate electors differently, with some pursuing prosecution, referring them to federal prosecutors, or not taking any prosecutorial steps.
Arizona: The state's 11 alternate electors are being investigated by Attorney General Kris Mayes, while federal subpoenas were sent to then-state senators last year regarding communications with the alternate electors.
Michigan: The state's 16 alternate electors were charged by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel last month for allegedly submitting false certificates claiming they were the legitimate electors.
In January, three of the Democratic electors who cast their votes for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election filed a lawsuit against the 16 alternate electors in January, seeking $25,000 in damages.
Last year, then-attorney general Josh Shapiro said that because the electors added a caveat that their votes would only be valid if they were recognized as "Duly elected and qualified electors," they had likely not acted criminally.
State Attorney General Josh Kaul has not said whether there is currently an investigation into the alternate electors, but believes "That those who committed crimes with the goal of overturning the results of the election should be held accountable." In support of the Georgia alternate electors, the state Republican Party announced last week that it has launched a website defending them against Willis' investigation.
No comments:
Post a Comment