Former President Donald Trump, his former chief of staff Mark Meadows, and his former attorney Rudy Giuliani are uncharged co-conspirators in a Michigan “false electors” scheme tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, a state investigator testified on Wednesday.
During a hearing related to the case, Duane Silverthorn, an attorney for a defendant who was charged in the scheme, read a list of names and asked whether they were “unindicted co-conspirators” in Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel‘s investigation.
Howard Shock, a special agent for the AG’s office who was being cross-examined, replied in the affirmative when the names of Trump, Meadows and Giuliani were read. Shock also responded “yes” when former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis‘ name was read.
Last year, Nessel’s office brought charges against 16 people who signed paperwork falsely claiming Trump’s victory in the state over Democrat Joe Biden.
Steven Cheung, a campaign spokesman for Trump, said in a statement Wednesday that the former president was being targeted as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and that Biden’s Democratic allies were “further abusing and misusing the power of their offices in a no-holds barred effort to interfere in the presidential election.”
Ted Goodman, a spokesperson for Giuliani, said in a statement Wednesday that Giuliani “is proud to stand up for the countless Americans who raised legitimate concerns surrounding the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election.”
An attorney for Meadows suggested Shock’s statement was not factual, saying that someone “saying that does not make it so.”
“Sounds like an opinion, not a fact,” George Terwilliger, the attorney, said in a statement to NBC News.
Ellis and a spokesperson for Nessel’s office did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment on Wednesday evening.
Trump, Giuliani, Meadows and Ellis were indicted along with 15 others on charges in Georgia last year related to alleged attempts to keep Trump in office after his election loss to Biden in 2020. Trump, Meadows, and Giuliani have pleaded not guilty in that case. Ellis is just one of four co-defendants originally charged in that indictment who pleaded guilty.
Special counsel Jack Smith has also filed federal charges against Trump alleging that he plotted to overturn his election loss in 2020. Although unnamed in the indictment, Giuliani is likely the first of six unindicted co-conspirators in that case. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
