Las Vegas, Nevada – A Nevada judge dismissed the case against six Republicans who falsely declared Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 election. The ruling came from Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus, who determined that the case should have been filed in another county, sparking plans from prosecutors to appeal the decision.
This incident stemmed from Trump supporters in Nevada and six other states sending fake documents to Congress, claiming that Trump was the true victor of the election. In Nevada, these individuals faced charges for offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged document. Among those indicted was Nevada GOP chairman Michael J. McDonald, facing up to nine years in prison for these felonies.
The Republicans’ attorneys argued that the case should have been filed elsewhere since the meeting of Trump electors took place more than 400 miles away from Las Vegas, in Carson City. Despite the spokesperson for Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford announcing plans to appeal, the statute of limitations expiring after the case was initially filed in Clark County could hinder refiling in another jurisdiction.
The appeal is set to go to the state Supreme Court, with the possibility of being decided there or sent to a lower appeals court. The timeframe for briefings and a potential decision prior to the November election appears uncertain. Meanwhile, the Nevada Republicans expressed satisfaction with the judge’s decision and are now focusing on the state’s appeal, with attorney Monti Levy affirming confidence in the Nevada Supreme Court upholding the ruling.
In addition to the Nevada incident, Republicans in four other states are facing charges from local or state prosecutors regarding similar elector meetings. The cases in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin are not impacted by the recent ruling in Nevada. Meanwhile, Republicans in Pennsylvania and New Mexico were not charged, as the paperwork they submitted included language specifying that their electoral ballots should only be counted if Trump was confirmed as the legitimate winner.
