The Lawfare Podcast Lawfare Archive: Explaining the Michigan Fake Electors Prosecution
Nov 22, 2025
Clara Hendrickson, a politics reporter at the Detroit Free Press, shares her insights on Michigan's legal battles stemming from the 2020 election. She details the charges against 16 fake electors involved in Trump's attempts to overturn results and explains the broader implications of these prosecutions. Clara discusses the roles of local GOP figures, conspiracy theories specific to Michigan, and high-profile cases of unauthorized voting machine access. Their conversation highlights Michigan's pivotal role in the fight for electoral accountability.
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Fake Electors Sent Phony Certificate
- Michigan's fake electors sent a phony certificate to the National Archives claiming they were the state's duly elected electors.
- Dana Nessel charged 16 people with conspiracy and forgery for that effort despite earlier referring the matter to federal authorities.
Rejected Electors Tried To Enter Capitol
- On December 14, 2020, a group of Republicans showed up at the Michigan Capitol claiming to be electors and were denied entry.
- They later sent a certificate asserting they had met and cast electoral votes despite not doing so.
State Took Over After Federal Delay
- Nessel initially referred the fake electors matter to federal investigators before reopening a state probe.
- She reopened the case after federal inaction and later announced criminal charges on January 6's anniversary.