The Republican efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election were multifaceted, but one of the standout partisan tactics was the bogus electoral scheme: Republican officials and operatives in key states created forged election materials and sent the documents to the U.S., among others Senate. and the American archivist, as if the materials were legitimate. There were not.
Although the relevant players did not know it at the time, the controversy has become one of the most consequential political scandals in a generation, increasing the number of indictments not seen since Watergate and Iran-Contra.
That total is still growing. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported this morning that Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has filed forgery charges against three officials from Donald Trump’s 2020 team.
The Washington Post reported in April that these charges were a real possibility. Apparently that was true.
Plus, the timing is striking: As Rachel explained on last night’s show, state and federal investigations into the same scandal in Michigan appear to be intensifying in ways that have taken almost everyone by surprise.
For those keeping score, let’s count the number of charges currently pending related to the scandal in multiple jurisdictions:
Arizona: 18 people have been charged, including 11 fake voters and seven Trump aides.
Georgia: Initially, 19 people were charged, including Trump, although some have since reached plea deals with prosecutors.
Michigan16 people have been charged, although there are several other prominent, unindicted co-conspirators, and there is a very real possibility that others will soon face similar charges.
Nevada: Six people have been charged, all of whom served as fake voters.
Wisconsin: Three people have been charged.
To be sure, there is some overlap between the charges – some of the key officials have been charged in more than one jurisdiction – but it is nevertheless a striking total that could continue to grow. Watch this space.
This message updates our related previous reporting.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
