In a recent lawsuit settlement, two attorneys for former President Donald Trump have been found to have orchestrated a strategy involving fake electors to overturn Joe Biden's 2020 victory in Wisconsin, as well as other swing states such as Georgia. The settlement, which was reached on Monday, brings to light months of texts and emails that outline the details of the scheme.

The attorneys, Kenneth Chesebro and Jim Troupis, submitted over 1,400 pages of documents, emails, and text messages, accompanied by photos and videos, providing a comprehensive account of how the strategy originated in Wisconsin. The communications demonstrate their coordination with Trump campaign officials as they replicated the plan in six additional states.

The settlement resolves a civil lawsuit filed by Democrats in 2022 against the attorneys and ten Republicans in Wisconsin who posed as fake electors. The Republicans settled in December, but the attorneys' agreements do not include an admission of wrongdoing or liability. However, Chesebro and Troupis have pledged never to participate in similar efforts in future presidential campaigns. Troupis has also been ordered to pay an undisclosed amount to the plaintiffs.

Scott Thompson, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys involved in negotiating the agreements, emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and deterrence. Thompson stated, "Our democracy demands better than this. We can't let this happen again." The settlement sheds light on the manipulation tactics employed to delay deadline certifications and sway public opinion, including discussions of ideas on conservative talk radio.

The documents provided in the settlement reveal that Chesebro and Troupis utilized arcane laws to rationalize and draft false certificates for the fake electors. In a November 2020 exchange, Chesebro suggested contacting conservative radio hosts in Milwaukee and Madison to increase the visibility of their effort and potentially influence the Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision on invalidating thousands of votes.

These fake elector efforts are central to a federal indictment filed against Trump in August, alleging his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. Federal prosecutors, who are investigating Trump's conduct related to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, have also identified Wisconsin as the origin of the scheme. Trump faces charges in Georgia as well and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

While Michigan and Nevada have pursued criminal charges against fake electors, there is currently no known criminal investigation in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, has indicated that he is relying on federal investigators, but has not ruled out the possibility of a state probe. The attorneys involved in the settlement have already provided information from the documents to Kaul's office.

The settlement brings to the forefront the actions taken by Trump's attorneys to manipulate the electoral process, underscoring the importance of upholding the integrity of democratic elections. As the details of this scheme are brought to light, it reiterates the need for transparency, accountability, and safeguarding the democratic values on which our nation is founded.