Wisconsin Fake Electors Denounce Alleged 2020 Scheme, Acknowledge Biden's Victory
Wisconsin's fake electors have publicly retracted their efforts to overturn Trump's defeat, acknowledging President Biden's legitimate victory They have committed to never participating as real or sham electors in any future elections, as part of a settlement in a civil lawsuit
10 fake electors from Wisconsin have renounced their attempt to overturn Donald Trump's defeat in 2020, acknowledging the legitimacy of President Joe Biden's victory. They have also pledged to never serve as a real or fake elector in any future election as part of a civil lawsuit settlement announced on Wednesday. This is the latest form of accountability for the Trump campaign's seven-state plot to undermine the Electoral College and prevent the transfer of power. Federal prosecutors have indicted Trump in connection with the scheme, the entire fake delegation from Michigan faces state charges, and three of the 16 fake electors from Georgia have also been charged.
As a result of the Wisconsin settlement, the 10 fraudulent electors have released a statement admitting that the counterfeit certificates they signed in December 2020 were "utilized in an effort to unlawfully overturn" the legitimate election outcomes.
In a section of their statement, they declare, "We affirm that Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was the victor of the 2020 presidential election and that we were not the duly elected presidential electors for the State of Wisconsin in the 2020 presidential election. We condemn any effort to erode the public's trust in the final results of the 2020 presidential election."
The agreement mandates that the 10 GOP activists fully cooperate with any current or future Justice Department investigations pertaining to the 2020 presidential election. Special counsel Jack Smith, who has been investigating the subversion of the 2020 election, has indicted Trump and questioned certain fraudulent electors, but has not pressed charges against any of them. The group of sham electors from Wisconsin was headed by Andrew Hitt, who was the state GOP chair at the time, and included Robert Spindell, who is now a member of the Wisconsin Election Commission. Both individuals were involved in the settlement reached on Wednesday.
The civil case is not connected to any possible state criminal investigation into the plot to influence electors.
The case was filed by two progressive groups: Law Forward, based in Wisconsin, and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University. The groups argued that the agreement punished those who "disregard our country's democratic principles" and "helped to guarantee that another attempt to undermine our democracy will not occur in the future."
CNNs Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
