Michigan judge dismisses charges against 15 Trump electors

A Michigan district judge on Tuesday dismissed criminal charges against 15 people accused of posing as presidential electors for Donald Trump after the 2020 election, ruling prosecutors had not shown the defendants intended to commit fraud. The defendants, who were charged in 2023 by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, had been accused of signing a slate of documents in December 2020 falsely claiming to be Michigan's duly elected electors for Trump.

District Court Judge Kristen D. Simmons said in court that she did not find sufficient evidence of criminal intent and that the defendants appeared to sincerely believe there had been problems with the election. Whether they were right, wrong or indifferent, they seriously believed there were problems with the election, Simmons said. I believe they were executing their constitutional right to seek redress, she added. Each of the 15 faced eight counts, including forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery, offenses that carried a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Supporters cheered outside the courtroom and some defendants embraced and wept as they left. Defense attorneys characterized the prosecution as politically...