CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) – The yearslong case against six Nevada Republicans who were accused of submitting a bogus certificate that declared President Donald Trump the winner of the state’s 2020 presidential election has been sent back to Clark County, where a jury is more likely to rule against them.
The opinion released Thursday from the Nevada Supreme Court is a response to an earlier ruling from a state judge that ruled Clark County was the wrong venue for the case because the alleged crimes had occurred elsewhere in the state. Clark County is home to Las Vegas and leans Democratic.
After the 2020 election, the six electors gathered outside of the Nevada Legislature to sign certificates giving the state’s six electoral votes to Trump, despite former President Joe Biden winning the state by more than 30,000 votes. The event was broadcast online, and the video footage was used as evidence in the case.
The yearslong case against six Nevada Republicans who were accused of submitting a bogus certificate that declared President Donald Trump the winner of the state’s 2020 presidential election has been sent back to Clark County, where a jury is more likely to rule against them.
The opinion released Thursday from the Nevada Supreme Court is a response to an earlier ruling from a state judge that ruled Clark County was the wrong venue for the case because the alleged crimes had occurred elsewhere in the state. Clark County is home to Las Vegas and leans Democratic.
After the 2020 election, the six electors gathered outside of the Nevada Legislature to sign certificates giving the state’s six electoral votes to Trump, despite former President Joe Biden winning the state by more than 30,000 votes. The event was broadcast online, and the video footage was used as evidence in the case.
The defendants have called the case political prosecution. They say they were exercising their First Amendment rights to criticize the state’s election processes.
The six Nevadans, who had pleaded not guilty, include Michael McDonald, the chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, and Jesse Law, the former Clark County Republican Party chairman who was recently ousted in a July election.
Nevada AG Aaron Ford issued a comment Thursday on the case, saying:
“Today the Nevada Supreme Court affirmed what we have maintained all along – that Clark County is the proper and lawful venue to prosecute our case, and I am pleased with the court’s decision to overturn the District Court’s dismissal of our case in Clark County.
The 2020 fake electors cannot evade accountability in Nevada for their unlawful actions. As attorney general, it is my duty to hold those who sought to undermine the results of our state’s free and fair election responsible.
With this ruling, we will return to the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County and continue our work to ensure that justice is served.”
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