Pro-Trump Lawyer Kenneth Chesebro Assisting in Multiple State Investigations into False Elector Scheme of 2020

The lawyer who assisted in the 2020 fake electors scheme and has pleaded guilty to conspiracy in Georgia is now cooperating with Michigan and Wisconsin state investigators to avoid further charges, CNN sources report. This marks a significant change from 2020, when the lawyer, Kenneth Chesebro, played a key role in former President Donald Trump's attempts to undermine the Electoral College and overturn his election loss. Chesebro is now assisting investigators in multiple states probing the scheme.

The cooperation of Chesebro in Wisconsin suggests that the state attorney general's office is conducting an independent investigation into the false slates of pro-Trump electors. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, has not publicly confirmed the ongoing investigation. Furthermore, Chesebro recently provided testimony to a grand jury in Nevada, and state prosecutors there have announced indictments against six fake electors. Chesebro has also been in communication with prosecutors in Arizona and is scheduled for an interview as part of the ongoing investigation into fake electors in that state.

Chesebro, previously identified by CNN as an unindicted co-conspirator in special counsel Jack Smith's federal indictment against Trump, is accused of involvement in a scheme to disenfranchise millions of voters in an attempt to unlawfully keep the former president in power. It is unclear whether Chesebro is cooperating with the federal probe, or if the possibility of charges against him has been ruled out by Smith.

In 2020, the Trump campaign targeted seven states with the fake electors scheme. Charges have already been filed against fake electors in Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada. Investigations are ongoing in Arizona, New Mexico, and now, evidently, Wisconsin. The seventh state involved in the plot was Pennsylvania.

The Michigan investigation led by Democratic state Attorney General Dana Nessel has produced the first criminal charges in the nation. It now seems that Nessel's probe may be wider in scope, as it is investigating other individuals with connections to the scheme beyond the fake electors. The Michigan attorney general's office confirmed to CNN in an email this week that their investigation is ongoing.

The Wisconsin attorney general's office and Chesebro's lawyer both declined to provide comments. Chesebro has entered into proffer agreements in multiple states, offering him protection from prosecution, as reported by several sources. His cooperation with investigators in Michigan and Wisconsin has not been disclosed prior to this.

But cooperating with state prosecutors does not guarantee Chesebro will avoid criminal charges in one or all of the ongoing investigations, the sources cautioned.

Another pro-Trump lawyer in Michigan

An ongoing investigation led by Nessels has resulted in charges being filed against 16 fraudulent electors in Michigan. One of them has agreed to cooperate in exchange for having his case dropped, while the others have pleaded not guilty. Key hearings are scheduled for this month as they seek to dismiss the case. Additionally, CNN sources have revealed that Nessel is also scrutinizing Ian Northon, a pro-Trump lawyer who was in contact with top Trump allies following the 2020 election and was present with the fake electors during their attempt to enter the Michigan statehouse.

Charging documents filed against the Michigan fake electors detailed Northon's attempt to convince a state trooper to grant them access to the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, but they were denied. This was a crucial aspect of the plan devised by Chesebro and others, as federal law and Michigan statutes mandate that electors convene at the statehouse, and Chesebro aimed for the pro-Trump slate to strictly adhere to the law.

The attorney representing Northon declined to comment on this matter.

Following the 2020 election, Northon joined conference calls with then-Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman to discuss contesting the results, as revealed in Northon's testimony to the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection.

Additionally, Northon had a phone call with Sidney Powell, a right-wing attorney and conspiracy theorist who pleaded guilty in the Georgia election subversion case. Powell asked Northon to join a lawsuit she was filing in Michigan to nullify the election, but he declined and filed a separate suit contesting the results. Unfortunately, the baseless cases did not progress.

During his congressional testimony, Northon stated that he had no connections to Chesebro other than receiving a memo about the Electoral College from a colleague after the 2020 election. Additionally, he mentioned that a pro-Trump state legislator informed him about the fake electors meeting in Lansing. In his 2022 testimony to the House committee, Northon expressed disappointment in the events at the Capitol on January 6 and emphasized that his efforts in representing private clients were aimed at ensuring compliance with the law, not promoting its violation.