Rudy Giuliani and other associates of then-President Donald Trump “actively choreographed” a scheme that involved seven states submitting fake electoral college certificates to the National Archives as part of their broader attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 election, according to CNN.
The bogus documents were signed by Trump supporters “who claimed to be the rightful electors from seven states that President Joe Biden won,” explains the outlet. “But these rogue slates of electors didn’t have the backing of any elected officials in the seven states — like a governor or secretary of state, who are involved in certifying election results — and they served no legitimate purpose.”
Citing “three direct sources” CNN reports:
Giuliani and his allies coordinated the nuts-and-bolts of the process on a state-by-state level, the sources told CNN. One source said there were multiple planning calls between Trump campaign officials and GOP state operatives, and that Giuliani participated in at least one call. The source also said the Trump campaign lined up supporters to fill elector slots, secured meeting rooms in statehouses for the fake electors to meet on December 14, 2020, and circulated drafts of fake certificates that were ultimately sent to the National Archives.
“It was Rudy and these misfit characters who started calling the shots,” a former Trump campaign staffer told CNN. “The campaign was throwing enough sh*t at the wall to see what would stick.”
Christina Bobb, a correspondent for right-wing outlet One America News, and John Eastman, a conservative lawyer who ingratiated himself with Trump in the waning days of his White House tenure, were reportedly involved in the process.
“They were all working together. Rudy, John Eastman, and Christina Bobb, in tandem, to create this coverage for OAN, to advance the Big Lie,” the former Trump campaign staffer told CNN.
The ‘alternate elector scheme’ – covered at length by Rachel Maddow in recent days – involved Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada and New Mexico. Ultimately, Pennsylvania and New Mexico balked at the plan and added nuanced language to their fake documents that provided legal cover.
Vice President Mike Pence was aware – and worried about – the scheme, so he instructed his team to include language in the electoral certification process he presided over to distinguish between real certificates and the fakes one submitted by Trump supporters.
President Joe Biden addressed the fake electoral college certificates during his Wednesday press conference.
“I never thought we would get into a place where we were talking about… what they tried to do this last time out — Send different electors to the state legislative bodies to represent who won the election, saying that I didn’t win but the Republican candidate won,” he said. “I doubt that anyone thought that would happen in America in the 21st century, but it is happening.”
