The Justice Department is looking into allegations that fake Electoral College certificates from 2020 declared Republicans as the voters voting for Donald Trump or Mike Pence, Fox News confirmed.
CNN originally reported that the investigation was looking into documents that were brought to our attention by the House January 6 Committee probe.
“We have received these referrals. CNN’s Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said that they are currently reviewing them and could not comment on ongoing investigations.
Monaco stated that Monaco was only going to “follow the facts and law wherever they lead” to investigate the DOJ’s investigation into the conduct that led to an attack on democracy.
Multiple reports have indicated that fake documents were obtained by American Oversight. These documents included paperwork from Republican slates in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
American Oversight calls the documents “fake election certificates” to be used for “bogus slates pro-Trump electors.” Each state’s Republicans had made it clear that they intended to keep the electors in line in case of legal challenges to the election results.
According to the Pennsylvania certificate, the Republican slate voted on the understanding that, if a final non-appealable court order or other proceeding is made, we will be ultimately recognized as the duly elected, qualified Electors [.]”
The Pennsylvania GOP stated in a press release that Republicans are acting in concert with Trump’s campaign.
“At Donald Trump’s request, the Republican presidential electors met today at Harrisburg to cast a conditional ballot for Mike Pence and Donald Trump,” Trump campaign Pennsylvania chair Bernie Comfort stated in a December 14, 2020 statement. Comfort stated that it was a procedural vote to preserve any legal claims going forward and “in no manner an attempt to usurp the will of Pennsylvania voters.”
Similar to Wisconsin, Andrew Hitt, chair of the Wisconsin GOP, stated that Republican voters met in accordance with state guidelines in order to maintain their role in the electoral process. The final outcome is still being determined by the courts. Georgia Republican Party stated at the time that they had a Republican slate as “the contest for the election is ongoing”.
Arizona and New Mexico Republican Parties both referenced the 1960 election in which Hawaii’s electors were certified to Republican Richard Nixon. However, a total number of votes later indicated that President John F. Kennedy had won the state.
“Ofcourse, there is precedent for Republican electors meeting December 14, even though the Democrat electors in Arizona also meet elsewhere,” stated the Arizona GOP in a December 2020 release. It noted how Democratic electors met in 60 at the same moment Republican electors did. “In the end Hawaii’s electoral votes were given to President Kennedy even though he didn’t win the state until 11 days after the vote was cast by his electors.”
In December 2020, the New Mexico GOP stated that “just like the Democrat Electors met at Hawaii in 1960 to await a resolution of the State’s election, so too did the Republican Electors meet this year on December 14, as we wait for a resolution of New Mexico’s five electoral votes.”
Georgia’s Republicans claimed that they have their own electors because “the contest for the election is ongoing”. Nevada Republicans claimed they had their own slate for the occasion Congress could decide the election.
Local reporting in Michigan reported that Republican electors tried to gather at the Capitol to hold their vote. Ian Norton, Attorney in Michigan, was said to have been with Republican state legislators who attempted to get the electors inside. He also stated that the GOP had sent papers to Congress “in case the state Legislature decides not to replace Democratic electors.”
Apart from the Republican efforts, which they claimed were part of their legal challenges at the time, a separate group from Arizona has been accused of possible wrongdoing.
Politico reported that earlier this month, The Sovereign Citizens of the Great State of Arizona filed paperwork with the Arizona state seal and a list of voters voting for Trump or Pence.
The Arizona Secretary of State Katy Hobbs sent Lori Osiecki a letter asking them to “immediately stop the unauthorized use of Arizona’s State Seal”. She also informed them that the matter was being referred by the state attorney general.
