In a striking turn of events, ten Republicans in Wisconsin who participated in the fraudulent electors scheme as part of a larger, multi-state effort to keep former President Donald Trump in office, have come forward. In a remarkable admission, they have publicly acknowledged that their actions were improper and invalid, formally recognizing President Joe Biden as the legitimate winner of the state. This acknowledgment is part of a settlement in a civil lawsuit that has effectively shielded them from a hefty $2.4 million in damages and the ordeal of a trial.
On December 14, 2020, as Democratic electors officially cast their votes for Biden, these ten Republican individuals orchestrated a counterfeit electoral vote at the Wisconsin state Capitol. Initially claiming to act as backup electors should Trump emerge victorious in ongoing lawsuits – a scenario debunked by numerous court rejections across the nation – their actions took a darker turn. The documents they signed were transmitted to Washington D.C., aimed at disrupting the certification of Biden’s victory.
However, in a decisive move towards accountability, the settlement has required these individuals to admit their motives openly. They’ve had to declare that their actions were indeed an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results and confirm Biden’s legitimate victory in Wisconsin. Additionally, they’ve agreed never to serve as electors again or partake in any Electoral College ballot transmissions.
Their official statement shed light on the broader machinations behind their actions, citing compliance with requests from the Trump campaign and the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “We oppose any attempt to undermine the public’s faith in the ultimate results of the 2020 presidential election,” they stated, disavowing the documents they executed on that December day.
Although this settlement removes the ten fake electors from the lawsuit, the legal battle isn’t over. Two Republican lawyers, including Kenneth Chesebro, the architect of the fake electors scheme in various states, remain defendants. Chesebro, also embroiled in legal troubles in Georgia, may be cooperating with multiple state and federal investigations into Trump’s attempts to overturn the election.
This development has been hailed by Democrats and advocates for democratic integrity. Jeff Mandell, representing the Democrats in the lawsuit, emphasized the importance of upholding democratic values and the people’s right to choose their leaders. Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, reinforced this sentiment, highlighting the necessity of respecting election outcomes regardless of party lines.
As this saga unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of democratic institutions and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding the integrity of elections. The actions of these ten individuals, now publicly renounced, underscore the perilous lengths to which some will go to subvert the democratic process. This incident stands as a critical juncture for recommitting to the principles that uphold American democracy and ensuring that such attempts to undermine it are never repeated.
