Overview

• District Court Judge Kristen D. Simmons ruled prosecutors failed to prove the defendants had the criminal intent required in a fraud case.
• The prosecution stemmed from a Dec. 14, 2020 gathering at Michigan GOP headquarters where participants signed certificates claiming they were the state's duly chosen electors.
• Simmons said the actions were motivated by sincerely held beliefs about election irregularities and characterized them as petitioning for redress.
• The judge noted the certificates were an alternate document lacking a governor's signature or state seal, undercutting claims the defendants sought to deceive officials.
• Sixteen people were initially charged in 2023; one cooperated and had charges dropped, and the dismissal may affect parallel cases progressing unevenly in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Wisconsin.