A Nevada judge has dismissed a case against six Republicans who were accused of submitting a bogus certificate that falsely declared Donald Trump the winner of the state’s 2020 presidential election. The defendants, including Michael McDonald, the chair of the Nevada Republican Party, and Jesse Law, the former chair of the Clark County Republican Party, pleaded not guilty to charges relating to forgery and offering a false instrument for filing or record.

Background of the Case

The case revolved around the defendants’ intent behind submitting the certificate. Prosecutors argued that the defendants intended for their documents to be mistaken for actual electoral votes that then-Vice President Mike Pence would count on January 6, 2021. However, the defendants claimed that submitting the certificate was an act of ‘political theater’ designed to publicize their concerns about the election.

Nevada Judge Mary Kay Holthus agreed with the defendants, finding that there was a lack of evidence showing they intended to deceive government officials. She also determined that the state failed to disclose exculpatory evidence to the grand jury. The dismissal marks the latest setback in swing states’ efforts to prosecute fake electors who tried to keep Trump in the White House after he lost to Joe Biden in 2020.

Three other fake elector cases in Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia have been dismissed. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes recently dismissed her office’s criminal case but vowed to bring it back to a grand jury in hopes of securing another indictment.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.