A Michigan Court Shows the Way Forward
A judge just threw out charges against 15 people who signed papers as alternate electors back in 2020. The judge said something that should make every conservative sit up and pay attention.
The Michigan court ruled:
“The individuals… believed there were problems with the election, and they were executing their constitutional right to seek redress.”
That’s not just legal talk. That’s the foundation of American democracy.
Nevada’s Own Messy Situation
Here in Nevada, we have our own version of this story. Attorney General Aaron Ford has been going after six Republicans who signed alternate elector papers in 2020. These aren’t criminals. These are people like Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, Republican National Committeeman Jim DeGraffenreid, Storey County Clerk Jim Hindle, Republican operatives Shawn Meehan and Eileen Rice, and Jesse Law. They thought they were doing their civic duty.
But Ford’s case has been a mess from day one. A Nevada judge dismissed the charges in June 2024, saying Ford filed them in the wrong place.
Judge Mary Kay Holthus said:
“You have literally, in my opinion, a crime that has occurred in another jurisdiction. It’s so appropriately up north and so appropriately not here.”
Think about that. Ford, who’s supposed to be Nevada’s top lawyer, couldn’t even figure out where to file his case. That’s like a carpenter showing up to the wrong house.
The Nevada case was thrown out because it should have been filed in Carson City or Douglas County, not Las Vegas. The alternate electors signed their papers in Carson City and mailed them from Douglas County. But Ford filed in Clark County, which had nothing to do with where the supposed crime happened.
Even worse, prosecutors couldn’t refile the case in the right place because the three-year statute of limitations had expired. Ford botched the jurisdiction so badly that the case should have been dead and buried.
But Ford wouldn’t let it go. In December 2024, he refiled charges in Carson City anyway. He’s like that person who keeps calling after you’ve already said no.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
This case isn’t really about six Republicans in Nevada. It’s about whether Americans can peacefully challenge election results when they have genuine concerns. The Michigan judge understood this. She saw that these people weren’t trying to steal anything. They were using the system the way it was designed.
Conservatives believe in limited government. We believe officials shouldn’t abuse their power to go after political opponents. Ford’s crusade looks exactly like that kind of abuse. He’s using taxpayer money to chase people who were exercising their constitutional rights.
The alternate elector process has been used by both parties throughout American history. It’s not some new scheme cooked up in 2020. It’s part of how our system handles disputed elections.
What Critics Are Saying
Ford and his supporters say this is about protecting democracy. Ford claimed when he refiled the charges:
“The actions the fake electors undertook in 2020 violated Nevada criminal law and were direct attempts to both sow doubt in our democracy,”
But that argument falls apart when you look at the facts. These people didn’t try to forge the governor’s signature. They didn’t create fake state seals. They signed a document that clearly said it was an alternate slate, not the official one.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel made similar arguments in her state. But the judge saw through it. She said the prosecution wanted her to believe the defendants were “savvy or sophisticated enough to understand fully the electoral process,” but the documents didn’t show that level of sophistication.
The Path Forward
The Michigan ruling gives us a roadmap. Judge Kristen Simmons found that prosecutors failed to prove intent to commit fraud. She said these people genuinely believed there were problems with the election and were seeking redress through proper channels.
Nevada’s situation is even weaker than Michigan’s was. Ford already messed up the jurisdiction once. He’s essentially admitting his original case was flawed by refiling it somewhere else.
Conservatives in Nevada should demand that Ford drop this case. He’s wasting taxpayer money on a political witch hunt that a Michigan judge just said has no merit. The people he’s targeting were acting on their sincere beliefs about election problems.
The Bottom Line
The Michigan court got it right. Americans have the right to seek redress when they believe elections have problems. That’s not fraud. That’s democracy.
Aaron Ford’s crusade against Nevada’s alternate electors should end now. He’s already shown he can’t handle the case properly. The Michigan ruling proves these prosecutions are politically motivated attacks on constitutional rights.
Remember this when Ford runs for governor in 2026. Do Nevadans want someone who botches basic legal procedures and wastes taxpayer money on political vendettas running our state?
It’s time for Ford to admit his mistake and move on. Nevada has real problems that need the attorney general’s attention. Going after conservatives who exercised their constitutional rights isn’t one of them.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
