Eight false Trump electors accepted immunity deal, lawyer says

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Trump and his inner circle orchestrated a plan for GOP voters in the seven states he lost to sign documents claiming to be legitimate presidential voters. Those bogus electors were part of Trump’s desperate last-ditch bid to overturn the Jan. 6, 2021. Citing certificates signed by fraudulent electors, Trump and a cadre of fringe lawyers claimed there was a conflict that only Congress and then Vice President Mike Pence could resolve in January 6.

Ultimately, Pence refused to support the effort, saying it was illegal and unconstitutional, and rejecting a pressure campaign to treat the GOP’s bogus electors as legitimate.

Dozens of fraudulent electors were subpoenaed by the select committee on Jan. 6 as well as by special counsel Jack Smith, who is conducting a similar criminal investigation into Trump’s bid to overturn the election.

Not all fraudulent electors across the country were equally involved in Trump’s effort and dozens argued that they had no idea their signatures would be used as part of Trumps January 6 effort. Instead, they said they were advised them that they are signing contingent certificates that will be used only if the courts overturn Trump’s defeat. They argued that similar tactics were used in 1960, when Democrats signed contingent certificates in the midst of a recount in Hawaii. (The recount was ultimately reversed indicating the results and the contingent electors were counted.)

But some of the bogus electors were also state party chairs and key Trump allies who played larger roles in Trump’s bid to stay in power. Willis, who has previously indicated that he considers all of the fraudulent electors targets of his investigation, raised concerns that Debrows’ representation of 10 of the fraudulent electors could present a conflict if anyone theirs to testify against each other. Last month, Willis claimed that recent interviews with bogus electors had revealed incriminating evidence about one of them.

Debrow, in Friday’s filing, sharply rejected the contention and maintained that none of his clients believed they had done anything wrong. He is urging the judge presiding over the case, Robert McBurney, to reject Willis’ attempt to disqualify him from the case.

Debrow accused the Willis team of misleading the judge about the status of safety discussions between the voters and the DA’s office and indicated that the assistant DA leading the interviews threatened to sue one of the voters. after tense exchange. Debrow said he recorded aspects of the exchange without prosecutors’ knowledge.

McBurney previously rejected a bid by Willis to disqualify Debrow from representing many contingent electors but asked one of them, David Shafer, the chairman of the Georgia GOP, to break away from the larger group. Shafer appeared to be more exposed to potential criminal charges than others, McBurney ruled at the time.

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