MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Three individuals associated with former President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign in Wisconsin pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to felony forgery charges related to a scheme involving fake electors. The defendants are Jim Troupis, who served as Trump's campaign attorney in Wisconsin; Mike Roman, the director of Election Day operations for the campaign; and Ken Chesebro, a former legal adviser to Trump. They entered their pleas in Dane County Circuit Court, with Troupis appearing in person and Roman and Chesebro appearing via Zoom.
The case against them is progressing despite similar cases in Michigan and Georgia facing challenges. A special prosecutor previously dropped a federal case alleging conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election, while another case in Nevada remains active. The fake elector scheme involved Republican electors submitting documentation to Congress claiming Trump won their states, despite his loss to Joe Biden.
The defendants maintain that their actions were lawful and intended to preserve options in case a court ruled in favor of Trump. However, prosecutors allege that they misled the Wisconsin Republican electors about the use of the certificates they signed, which were intended to falsely assert Trump's victory. Many electors indicated they did not believe their signatures would be submitted to Congress without a court ruling.
The arraignment occurred two years after the initial charges were filed by Wisconsin Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. The three defendants face 11 felony forgery charges, each carrying a potential penalty of up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Troupis and Roman have requested to move the trial to Jefferson County, citing concerns about jury impartiality due to negative publicity in Dane County. They also argue that one felony count should be dismissed based on a pardon issued by Trump for any federal crimes related to their actions. The judge indicated he would schedule a hearing to address these motions.