A Michigan judge has tossed charges accusing a group of so-called "fake electors" of committing fraud when they signed papers declaring Donald Trump won that state’s electoral votes in 2020.
The judge said prosecutors failed to show the 16 people who signed those documents did so with fraudulent intent.
The defendants in both the Michigan and Arizona cases claimed they prepared an “alternate slate” of electors to send to Washington as litigation was pending over election results.
Arizona’s case was sent back to a grand jury in May as a judge said jurors weren’t made aware of a law that tells congress how to handle competing electors.
Ritchie Taylor with the Arizona AG’s office says that has put the timeframe up in the air for the case.
“The trial date is still set for early next year. I think the timeline will shift depending on what happens at the appeals," he said.
Taylor added the Michigan ruling sets no precedent for the Arizona case. The court of Appeals has not ruled if a new indictment is needed.
