Politics
Nevada seeks high court review of dismissed 2020 elector prosecution
Attorney General Aaron Ford is asking the Nevada Supreme Court to reinstate charges against six Republicans accused of submitting a certificate falsely naming Donald Trump the winner of Nevada’s 2020 election. A Clark County judge dismissed the case after finding problems with the grand jury presentation and insufficient evidence of fraudulent intent.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford’s office has appealed the dismissal of criminal charges against six people accused of submitting a false certificate declaring Donald Trump the winner of Nevada’s 2020 presidential election.
Ford said Monday, Oct. 19, that his office filed the appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court the previous week. A Clark County District Court judge dismissed the case in August.
The defendants — Michael McDonald, Jesse Law, James DeGraffenreid, Durward “Jim” Hindle III, Shawn Meehan and Eileen Rice — faced charges of forgery and offering a false instrument.
In dismissing the prosecution, Judge Mary Kay Holthus found that prosecutors had not presented exculpatory evidence to the grand jury. She also concluded the evidence was insufficient to establish fraudulent intent.
Ford said he disagreed with the ruling and expected the state’s high court to side with his office. He argued the effort to submit an alternate election certificate challenged the integrity of Nevada’s election results and democratic process.
The appeal comes weeks before Election Day. Ford, a Democrat, is running for governor against Republican incumbent Joe Lombardo.
Trump issued pardons last year to the six defendants, but those pardons apply only to potential federal cases and do not cover Nevada’s state prosecution.