Revelations: Evidence Unveils Trump Team's Efforts to Send Alleged Fake Elector Ballots to DC with Intent to Overturn 2020 Election
Revelations: Evidence Unveils Trump Team's Efforts to Send Alleged Fake Elector Ballots to DC with Intent to Overturn 2020 Election
The Trump campaign's attempt to use fake electors to prevent President-elect Joe Biden from taking office hit a major obstacle just two days before the January 6 insurrection. Phony elector certificates from crucial battleground states were delayed in the mail. In response, Trump campaign operatives hurried to transport copies of the fake certificates from Michigan and Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. They relied on a chaotic network of couriers and assistance from two Republicans in Congress in an effort to deliver the documents to then-Vice President Mike Pence as he oversaw the Electoral College certification.
The emails and recordings also show that a senior campaign lawyer for Trump was involved in last-minute discussions about submitting fake elector certificates to Pence. This undermines his testimony to the House select committee that looked into the events of January 6, claiming that he had distanced himself and didn't want to implicate the former vice president.
This information mainly comes from Kenneth Chesebro, a lawyer who was closely involved in the plan to use fake electors and is now cooperating with several state investigations into the scheme. Chesebro admitted guilt to a felony conspiracy charge in Georgia in relation to the electors plan and has been meeting with prosecutors in Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, each of whom is looking into the fraudulent GOP electors in their respective states.
During a hearing at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on October 20, Kenneth Chesebro accepted a plea deal from the Fulton County District Attorney, speaking to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee.
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Michigan investigators have questioned pro-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro regarding the involvement of the Trump campaign in the fake electors scheme. According to Chesebro, top Trump campaign lawyers expressed concern that the fraudulent certificates might not arrive in the nation's capital in time for the January 6, 2021, certification process in Congress.
CNN acquired audio of Chesebro's recent interview with Michigan investigators. Earlier this month, CNN exclusively reported that he also informed them about a December 2020 Oval Office meeting where he briefed Trump on the fake electors plan and its connection to January 6.
Chesebro's attorney declined to comment, while a spokesman for the special counsel's office did not respond to a request for comment.
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and a congressman from Pennsylvania joined forces to help ensure that the documents made it into the hands of Vice President Pence. "This was a top-level decision to secure the votes from Michigan and Wisconsin," Chesebro informed Michigan prosecutors. "They even had to involve a US senator to speed up the process and deliver it to Pence on time."
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Trump's campaign reportedly considered chartering a jet to transport ballots to DC, says Chesebro.
Kenneth Chesebro, a lawyer in support of Trump, who played a key role in the fake electors scheme, informed Michigan prosecutors that senior Trump campaign lawyers discussed the possibility of arranging a private jet to transport the fake elector ballots to Washington D.C. for the January 6, 2021, certification process in Congress. This information was obtained by CNN.
Chesebro's firsthand account sheds light on the effort to hand-deliver elector slates to Pence, as referenced in Smith's federal indictment. Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring with Chesebro and others to obstruct the January 6 certification proceeding. Prior to Chesebro's guilty plea in Georgia, his attorneys contacted Smith's team, but as of this week, federal prosecutors have not responded, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The source familiar with the matter revealed that federal investigators have interviewed several people involved in the distribution of fake elector certificates. This includes Trump staffers assigned to transport the documents to DC, as well as individuals posing as electors who were aware of the scheme. The Trump campaign spokesperson declined to comment when reached for a statement.
During his meeting with Michigan prosecutors, Chesebro detailed the expansion of a legal memo he had authored for Wisconsin into a nationwide initiative. This operation involved Trump lawyers overseeing the coordinated efforts of over a dozen individuals affiliated with the GOP and the Trump campaign on a daily basis.
Records obtained by CNN show that on January 4, 2021, Morgan emailed Chesebro and Roman to request confirmation that Congress had received all of the Trump elector slates.
Matt Morgan participates in a news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC, in November 2020.
Michael Reynolds/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Roman replied that the Michigan certificate was sent on December 15 but is still in transit at a US Postal Service facility in DC. It seems that Wisconsin's certificate has also not been received.
On the same day, Morgan emailed Chesebro and Roman, urging them to reconsider their plan for delivering the certificates to Pence. "As I thought about this more, a courier will not be able to access the Capitol to deliver a sealed package," Morgan wrote on January 4, as obtained by CNN. "You will probably need to enlist the help of a legislator who can deliver to the appropriate place(s). I strongly recommend you guys discuss a revised delivery plan with Rudy (Giuliani) to make sure this gets done the way he wants."
Can we charter a flight?
Roman was concerned the Wisconsin documents wouldnt reach Washington in time.
The emails show that the Wisconsin GOP official arrived at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after 10 a.m. on January 5, while Trump campaign aide Michael Brown flew with Michigan certificates to Washington National Airport with a scheduled arrival around 1 p.m. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that Brown flew to DC from Atlanta, as the Trump staffers who had custody of the Michigan ballots were in Georgia for the Senate runoffs.
Trump Hotel meetup
According to the source, the Browns' flight on Southwest Airlines was arranged and covered by the campaign. Records from federal campaign finance show that a pro-Trump super PAC made a payment to the airline on the day of the flight, specifically for travel associated with election "recount" activities.The emails reveal that Brown and the Wisconsin GOP official were directed to meet Chesebro at the Trump International Hotel in downtown Washington to deliver the fraudulent elector certificates. Chesebro stated in an email that he would safeguard the ballots in his hotel room until it was time to transfer them.
The Wisconsin Republican Party officials expressed frustration at being asked to send the fake elector certificates to Washington. According to the January 6 committee report, a Wisconsin GOP official complained to then-state party chairman Andrew Hitt about the request. Hitt, who has cooperated with federal investigators regarding the incident, informed the committee that the couriering of the fake elector certificates was unnecessary, as the original documents that had been mailed to Washington arrived on time.
Getting the certificates inside the Capitol
The documents still had to be hand-delivered to Pences Senate office in the Capitol.
"I was in possession of the Wisconsin materials. Mike Brown, a Trump campaign aide, had the Michigan materials. We then proceeded to the Longworth Office Building, where the individual with Perry and another staff member of the House took the materials and informed us that they would be delivered to a Senate staffer," Chesebro informed Michigan prosecutors, as recorded in the audio obtained by CNN.
"I am not sure why we did not directly take the materials to Johnson from a logistical standpoint. But that is how it was done," he added.
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Pro-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, one of the masterminds behind the fraudulent electors scheme, has informed Michigan prosecutors about the involvement of Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, both Republicans, in getting the fake elector ballots to the Capitol floor for the certification proceeding on January 6, 2021. This information was obtained by CNN.
CNN previously stated that Roman participated in a proffer interview with Smith's team prior to Trump's indictment. He has also been indicted in the extensive Georgia election racketeering case related to the fake electors scheme, and has pleaded not guilty. Roman's lawyer has not replied to numerous requests for comment.
Chesebro's revelation adds more clarity to the involvement of members of Congress, including a current US senator, in ensuring that the electoral certificates for Trump were delivered to Pence. The January 6 committee disclosed Johnson's attempt to deliver the fraudulent elector certificates to Pence, who declared on the morning of the joint session that it would be unconstitutional to comply with Trump's request and unilaterally overturn the election results.
"Alternate slates of electors for MI and WI because archivist didnt receive them," Riley responded.
"Do not give that to him," Hodgson said.
F**k these guys
During his interview in Michigan, Chesebro also revealed the internal conflicts between the Trump lawyers, campaign officials, and allies. They disagreed on the strategy behind the electors plan and the extent of actions to be taken on January 6.
Chesebro has consistently argued that the plan was a legal strategy to protect Trump's legal rights, both at the time and now.
Prior to the meeting of the Trump electors on December 14, 2020, where they would cast their contested ballots and sign the certificates, Chesebro was already aware of concerns from some of the electors about potential legal issues. This information was revealed through emails and text messages reported by the Detroit News and obtained by CNN.
{{img_placeholder_3}}
Trump campaign staff member Michael Roman in his booking photo at the Fulton County Jail on August 25 in Atlanta.
Fulton County Sheriff's Office
At this point, the Trump campaign had split into two factions. Key officials who had been responsible for Trump's daily operations, including legal matters leading up to the election, testified that they handed over their responsibilities to Rudy Giuliani and others, including Chesebro, as documented in congressional testimony transcripts. Roman transitioned to working under Giuliani's leadership, according to testimony from Morgan and other witnesses.
A spokesperson for Giuliani did not reply to a request for comment.
It really went south on me
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Chesebro details the involvement of GOP lawmakers in the electors scheme Kenneth Chesebro, a lawyer supportive of former President Trump, has revealed to Michigan prosecutors how Congressional staffers were involved in ensuring the fake elector ballots reached the Capitol floor for the January 6, 2021, certification proceeding. While Chesebro initially identified a staffer from Rep. Scott Perry's office as being involved, the January 6 report indicates that it was actually someone from Rep. Mike Kelly's office.
During his congressional testimony, Morgan admitted to being aware of the elector plan but made clear that he preferred to stay removed from the endeavor, entrusting the task to others, including those associated with Giuliani.
In his appearance before the January 6 committee, Morgan disclosed that he initially viewed the electors as a potential backup plan. He believed that the electors should convene in their respective state capitals to cast their electoral votes, but he stressed that the certificates should only be submitted to Congress if "we prevailed" in court.
Morgan informed the committee that the plan had evolved from a "cast-and-hold" operation to a "cast-and-send" approach in December. He then testified that he withdrew from the plan and instructed an aide to politely inform Mr. Chesebro that he was responsible for the Electoral College issues going forward. Morgan stated that this was his way of completely removing himself from the responsibility, and he considered the matter closed after the email was sent.
Morgan expressed his concern about the new plan to tally the fraudulent electors on January 6, stating that it would only add to the Vice President's challenges, a situation he did not wish to contribute to. His defense attorneys informed CNN that he stands by his testimony given in Congress.
CNNs Avery Lotz, Annie Klingenberg, Fredreka Schouten contributed to this report.
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