CNN
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One of the individuals charged in Michigan for their involvement in a pro-Donald Trump fake elector scheme has reached an agreement with state prosecutors. James Renner, a defendant in the case, will cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for having his charges dismissed. This development signifies a major breakthrough since Attorney General Dana Nessel filed the charges in July, becoming the first prosecutor in the country to charge anyone in connection with the Trump-backed fake elector scheme.
Renner has agreed to provide complete and truthful testimony when called upon to do so by prosecutors, including detailing the events that took place when he and others signed the fraudulent certificate in December 2020. It is worth noting that if Renner provides misleading or false testimony in any future cases, prosecutors can reinstate the felony charges against him.
The fake GOP electors attempted to undermine the Electoral College process in 2020 by signing deceitful certificates falsely proclaiming Trump’s victory in the Michigan presidential election. This effort was part of the Trump campaign’s wider attempt to overturn the election results. Among the remaining defendants are current and former state GOP officials, a Republican National Committee member, a mayor from central Michigan, and a Grand Blanc school board member. All defendants have pleaded not guilty.
According to court documents, Renner reached a cooperation agreement with prosecutors on October 10. The agreement was made public when Renner appeared in Ingham County District Court. Clint Westbrook, Renner’s attorney, expressed his excitement about the outcome, stating that all charges against his client were dismissed after discussions with the Attorney General’s office. The Attorney General’s spokesperson confirmed that they dismissed the case against Renner under the cooperation agreement.
CNN obtained documents indicating that Renner participated in a proffer interview with state investigators in September. During the interview, Renner disclosed his involvement in the post-election effort and identified eight other fake electors who attended the signing ceremony in December 2020. This information could potentially aid prosecutors in their case.
Renner’s comments also suggest that the defendants may argue that they gathered as a legal “contingency” for Trump to continue challenging the election results. He stated that the group believed they needed to sign the fake Electoral College certificates because Michigan’s GOP legislature could potentially reject Joe Biden’s electors and recognize the pro-Trump slate instead. Additionally, some GOP officials present at the private meeting mentioned ongoing election lawsuits, as revealed in the document obtained by CNN.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
