As Trump’s legal cloud lifts, 45 allies still threatened by state-level 2020 election charges

Donald Trump derailed his 2020 election subversion indictments by winning back the White House, but dozens of his allies still face state criminal prosecutions that he, even as president, can’t shut down or short-circuit with pardons.

Donald Trump derailed his 2020 election subversion indictments by winning back the White House, but dozens of his allies still face state criminal prosecutions that he, even as president, can’t shut down or short-circuit with pardons. Since the election, Democratic prosecutors in Georgia, Michigan, Arizona and Wisconsin have pledged to move ahead with cases against Trump allies who were involved with the “fake electors” plot, which tried to overturn his 2020 defeat in those states. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, another Democrat, also told CNN he is planning to soon bring a new indictment re-charging the 2020 fake electors from his state. (His original case was thrown out by a judge due to jurisdictional issues.) “I don’t make decisions based on who is the president,” Ford said. “I make decisions based on the rule of law. And these state electors, in our estimation, violated laws of the state of Nevada that are worthy of prosecution,” Ford said, adding, “This case is not going away.” A total of 45 Trump allies and aides are currently facing charges across these four states, with another six expected to be re-indicted soon in Nevada. While many defendants are state party officials or little-known GOP activists, some are prominent figures from Trump’s orbit including former White House chief of staff  Mark Meadows, his former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, and adviser Boris Epshteyn. The federal election subversion indictment against Trump, filed by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, has already been dismissed. And while the Georgia case against Trump and his 14 co-defendants remains in limbo, the state likely won’t move forward with charges against Trump while he’s the sitting president. Trump’s lawyers recently asked a court to throw out his charges, citing his reelection.