Trump allies' fake Electoral College certificates offer fresh insights about plot to overturn Biden'

[Lasher]

Source: CNN

*Biden's victory.

In the weeks after the 2020 election, then-President Donald Trump's allies sent fake certificates to the National Archives declaring that Trump won seven states that he actually lost. The documents had no impact on the outcome of the election, but they are yet another example of how Team Trump tried to subvert the Electoral College -- a key line of inquiry for the January 6 committee.

The fake certificates were created by Trump allies in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada and New Mexico, who sought to replace valid presidential electors from their states with a pro-Trump slate, according to documents obtained by American Oversight.

The documents contain the signatures of Trump supporters who claimed to be the rightful electors from seven states that President Joe Biden won. But these rogue slates of electors didn't have the backing of any elected officials in the seven states -- like a governor or secretary of state, who are involved in certifying election results -- and they served no legitimate purpose.

The documents were first posted online in March by the government watchdog group. But they received renewed attention this week, as the January 6 committee ramps up its investigation into Trump's attempted coup, including how his allies tried to stop states from certifying Biden's victory, in part, by installing friendly slates of electors who would overturn the will of the voters.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/12/politics/trump-overturn-2020-election-fake-electoral-college/index.html

---

Back in the olden days, states used to send in conflicting elector certificates. This is why Congress was certifying Biden's victory on January 6 last year, in what had become a ceremonial process.

[L. Coyote]

1. Lock them up

18 U.S. Code § 595 - Interference by administrative employees of Federal, State, or Territorial Governments

Whoever, being a person employed in any administrative position by the United States, or by any department or agency .... uses his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

18 U.S. Code § 1001 - Statements or entries generally

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—
(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;
(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or
(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years or, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.

18 U.S. Code § 2331 - Definitions

.... (5) the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that—
(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
(B) appear to be intended—
(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States; and

[Cracklin Charlie]

2. They sent the fake documents to the National Archives?

They had to have believed this caper was gonna work, and they would be lauded as heroes.

Brazen and bold, crimeing right out in the open.

[Lasher]

5. Yes, from 7 states.

All part of Trump's plot.

[L. Coyote]

7. And now they try to evade questions. But note, this was provided for Pence. Plot thickens.

Link to tweet

[Lasher]

9. I would try to evade questions too, if I were in their spot.

Lucky for me, I didn't try to overthrow an election.

[L. Coyote]

11. He also tried to justify the crime. Tell it to a jury buddy!

18 U.S. Code § 595 - Interference by administrative employees of Federal, State, or Territorial Governments

Whoever, being a person employed in any administrative position by the United States, or by any department or agency .... uses his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

18 U.S. Code § 1001 - Statements or entries generally

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—
(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;
(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or
(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years or, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.

18 U.S. Code § 2331 - Definitions

.... (5) the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that—
(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
(B) appear to be intended—
(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States; and ....

[YP_Yooper]

8. But remember VP Pence was supposed to play along

by accepting these BS documents outright, or even by disqualifying an entire state's electors all together because there were "conflicting" votes.
A state or two that would have their electors removed from the Electoral College was also a route Trump tried.

[Miguelito Loveless]

3. Gosh, you'd think people

would go to jail for something this serious. Or at least be charged. But, no, the criminal justice system seem to only be about prosecuting the poor and non-White with serious crimes.

[alittlelark]

6. Even New Mexico !??! That's nutz

[Claire Oh Nette]

10. Election Fraud

"The fake certificates were created by Trump allies in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada and New Mexico, who sought to [commit election fraud.]"

I scoured the article looking for the words "Election Fraud." Not there. Election fraud isa much bigger crime than voter fraud the righties scream about. It requires a conpiracy.

In addition to the failed coup d'etat, TIDFP, et al. committed Election Fraud.

THe press never mentions this.

[L. Coyote]

12. 18 U.S.C. § 371--Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

18 U.S. Code § 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud United States

If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

The general conspiracy statute, 18 U.S.C. § 371, creates an offense "if two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose.

.... summary, those activities which courts have held defraud the United States under 18 U.S.C. § 371 affect the government in at least one of three ways:

They cheat the government out of money or property;
They interfere or obstruct legitimate Government activity; or
They make wrongful use of a governmental instrumentality.

.... more

[Claire Oh Nette]

14. Trouble ahead..

Looks like lots of republicans may get caught in this net.

Five years is not nearly enough.

[L. Coyote]

16. Republicans are changing the judiciary, now throwing the book is literally the size of indictments.

[samsingh]

13. how big this conspiracy must have been and still is.

[Lasher]

18. Especially when we consider a lot of it has been done right out in the open.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. How careful of the radicals to sign their names to the crime. . . . nt

[gab13by13]

17. Maybe they aren't afraid of being arrested?