(Source: MIRS.news, Published 10/19/2023) One of the 16 GOP self-proclaimed electors who signed a certificate declaring former President Donald Trump as the state’s 2020 presidential winner reached a deal that dismissed his criminal charges.
Ingham County District Judge Kristen D. Simmons Thursday granted a motion to drop the eight felony charges, including forgery, against James Renner, who is expected to cooperate with the ongoing investigation into the alternative slate of electors case.
Simmons also granted a request for a mental health evaluation and criminal responsibility review for Timothy King, a second of the 16 electors defendants.
King’s attorney, Michael Vincent, said his client suffers from “illogical thinking and (is) sometimes delusional” which has made it difficult for him to focus on the charges.
“Mr. King is a very nice man. I don’t want to create the wrong impression for your honor,” Vincent said. “He’s a very nice man, but (it’s) been almost impossible to get him to focus on the charges he’s facing, the very serious charges he’s facing. Again, he’s an exceptionally nice man.”
The defendants, including former GOP party chair Meshawn Maddock, were charged in July with two counts each of forgery and election law forgery and one count of uttering and publishing as well as conspiracy to commit each of those offenses .
In announcing the charges, Attorney General Dana Nessel said the defendants met Dec. 14, 2020, in the basement of the state’s Republican Party headquarters and signed multiple certificates claiming they were the “duly elected and qualified electors for president and vice president of the United States of America” for Michigan’s 2020 election. President Joe Biden won the state by 154,000 votes.
The certificates were sent to the National Archives and Congress. The Republican electors claim they signed the certificate in case claims of conspiracy and fraud were verified and Trump had actually won the state. Claims to this end, however, were never proven in any court.
