Fifteen Republican imposters were indicted in July 2023 by the Attorney General of Michigan on eight counts of criminal mischief, including forgery and conspiracy to perpetrate electoral fraud; however, one of the defendants had his charges reduced following a cooperation agreement. A maximum of fourteen years in jail was imposed on the most serious accusation.
In a broad indictment charging them of engaging in a plan to unlawfully change the outcome of the presidential election, three false electors were also accused in Georgia with Trump and others. "Not guilty" is their plea. John Eastman, a former law professor and attorney from Santa Fe, is one of the defendants named in an indictment from Fulton County.
Democrat Hector Balderas, who was New Mexico's attorney general in January 2022, had reported the phony certifications to federal investigators. In 2023, upon becoming office, Torrez requested a state inquiry to see whether the electors were involved in any wrongdoing.
Investigators combed through hundreds of pages of paperwork pertaining to operations in New Mexico and the other states that were considered battlegrounds, according to Torrez's office. In addition, they spoke with each of the five GOP electors.
Prosecutors in New Mexico have asserted that the paperwork were filled up and submitted according to orders given by Trump's campaign. The certification documents utilized in New Mexico, in contrast to those delivered to other states, were contingent upon Trump's victories in his challenges.
Even while Torrez found it shameful that New Mexicans were involved in a scheme to "undermine democracy," he did concede that GOP electors in New Mexico could not face criminal charges for their actions.
To allow prosecutors greater leeway to bring charges in such instances going forward, he has asked Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Democratic-controlled Legislature to modify the state's election statute.
Among Torrez's suggestions is the establishment of a new statute punishing the fraudulent exercise of the office of presidential elector and the extension of the ban against the falsification of election papers to encompass presidential elector certificates.
According to Pearce, these proposed reforms would be nothing more than "unproductive stunts" that would take attention away from New Mexico's real problems, such as poverty, violence, and other pressing issues.
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