Left: Lawyer Kenneth Chesebro takes an oath during a plea deal hearing on October 20, 2023, at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta (Alyssa Pointer/Pool Photo via AP, File). Center: Booking photo of Donald Trump (via Fulton County Sheriff’s Office). Right: James Troupis, an attorney for the Trump campaign, addresses Congress on election integrity in December 2020 (Greg Nash/Pool via AP).
The exchange of text messages and emails between a lawyer who confessed to conspiring to file fraudulent elector slates for Donald Trump in Georgia, and a campaign lawyer for the former president, reveals a fascinating insight into a dynamic environment where Trump’s supporters actively explored strategies to sow doubt and confusion in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
The contents of the more than 1,400-page document include various texts and emails. This document became public after a lawsuit brought by Wisconsin voters and electors against Kenneth Chesebro, a conservative attorney who later became involved in the fake electors case in Georgia alongside Trump, and campaign lawyer Jim Troupis, along with other individuals who were allegedly fake electors in the state. The settlement of this lawsuit led to the document’s disclosure.
Chesebro, along with other individuals involved in the Georgia election racketeering case, pleaded guilty to charges. Jenna Ellis, a Trump campaign lawyer and co-conspirator, had already pleaded guilty a month before. Sidney Powell, another co-conspirator, also admitted guilt to six misdemeanor charges as part of a deal with federal prosecutors. Scott Hall, a Georgia bail bondsman accused of breaching election system equipment, pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges, including conspiracy to intentionally interfere with the election process.
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Chesbro drafted a legal memo suggesting that then-Vice President Mike Pence should replace legitimate electors with “alternate” electors on January 6th in the event that other efforts to overturn President Joe Biden’s electoral victory over former President Donald Trump were unsuccessful.
The content of the text messages provides a glimpse into Chesebro’s promotion of conspiracy theories regarding widespread fraud in the 2020 election. As reported by both Politico and the New York Times, these messages also reveal the lawyers’ belief that Trump could have two opportunities to challenge the election outcome.
According to the Times, Chesebro mentioned in an email to Troupis, Trump’s campaign lawyer, that Trump could engage in litigation with the hope of winning by January 6. Alternatively, he could also utilize a delay in litigation to potentially secure a victory in the state legislature on December 8.
A series of emails revealed numerous warnings to maintain the confidentiality of the plans. Furthermore, CNN uncovered additional information from the document release, shedding light on Chesebro’s actions during and after the attack on the Capitol on January 6th. This included a photograph he took outside the Capitol featuring Alex Jones in the background. Additionally, Chesebro boasted about his proximity to tear gas used to disperse the rioters in other correspondences.
In a message just days after January 6, Chesebro remains dedicated to finding ways to help Trump secure the presidency, despite his loss. He suggests that the recent events could potentially create legal opportunities in the states that could result in favorable rulings for Trump.
According to the documents, it is evident that Chesebro was determined to see Trump elected, despite repeatedly being dismissed by the courts for his failed claims of a fraudulent election.
As highlighted by legal analyst and former Defense Department special counsel Ryan Goodman, the messages could potentially create a problem of perjury for Chesebro.
Chesebro testified before a Nevada grand jury that the scheme involving fake electors relied on winning litigation before Congress convened to certify the election on January 6, 2021.
However, in an email dated December 8, 2020, Chesebro contradicted this statement.
In a message sent to Troupis on December 8th at 12:15 a.m., Chesebro expressed the belief that court challenges on January 6th were unnecessary.
In addition, Goodman stated that Chesebro had privately contradicted his statements to prosecutors in Michigan who were investigating fake electors.
According to Goodman, the recent emails obtained from the settlement serve as compelling evidence of Chesebro’s perjury.
Chesebro’s attorney has not yet responded to Law&Crime’s request for comment. However, Troupis stated on Monday that he reached a settlement with Wisconsin voters in order to avoid prolonged legal battles. He emphasized that the settlement does not imply any admission of fault.
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