Full Breakdown
Wisconsin Fake Elector Scheme: Former Trump Lawyers Plead Not Guilty to Felony Forgery
6/17/2026, 4:26:38 AM
The Indictment and Pleas
On June 16, 2026, former Trump campaign attorney Jim Troupis, Election-Day director Mike Roman and legal adviser Ken Chesebro entered not-guilty pleas in Dane County Circuit Court. All face eleven felony forgery counts, punishable by up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Troupis appeared in person; Roman and Chesebro via Zoom. Their motions ask to move the trial to Jefferson County, citing tainted publicity.
Origins of the Fake Elector Scheme
The Wisconsin-originated scheme had Republican electors submit certificates to Congress falsely claiming Donald Trump won the state, hoping to present them to Vice President Mike Pence. Similar attempts in Michigan and Georgia collapsed; a federal case alleging a broader conspiracy was dropped by a special prosecutor last year, and a Nevada case remains pending.
Key Figures
Key figures include former Wisconsin campaign attorney Jim Troupis, Election-Day director Mike Roman, legal adviser Ken Chesebro and their attorney Joe Bugni. Attorney General Josh Kaul filed the charges. Ten Republican electors signed the fraudulent certificates, but were not charged. An unnamed Dane County judge set a schedule for venue and pardon motions.
Legal Stakes and Charges
Prosecutors say the defendants defrauded the ten electors by misrepresenting the use of their signatures and presenting forged certificates as proof of a Trump victory, noting the electors did not consent to having their signatures submitted without a court ruling. Each defendant faces eleven felony forgery counts, each carrying up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Official Positions & Responses
The defense argues that Trump’s presidential pardon for any federal crimes related to the scheme bars state prosecution. The state says the charges are state-level forgery offenses, which the judge will consider when hearing the pardon argument. The judge has scheduled hearings on the venue-change and pardon motions, with no ruling yet.
Criticism & Opposition
Prosecutors, led by Attorney General Kaul, call the scheme a deliberate fraud intended to overturn certified results, noting electors were misled about the legal effect of their signatures and that the defendants’ actions threatened electoral integrity.
Conflicting Legal Arguments & Gaps
The dispute centers on whether Trump’s federal pardon shields the defendants from state prosecution. No electors have been charged, leaving a gap in accountability for those who signed the forged certificates. This remains Wisconsin’s only state-level prosecution related to the 2020 election.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This case is headed to trial,” — Joe Bugni, attorney for Jim Troupis
- “No question.” — Joe Bugni
- “Neither side is going to blink.” — Joe Bugni
- “No question. Neither side is going to blink. And when we get to trial, Troupis has the right to a fair and impartial jury.” — Joe Bugni
What’s Next
The court will hear arguments on the venue-change request and the pardon’s applicability. Pending those rulings, the defendants face trial on the eleven felony forgery counts, a case that will test the interaction of state law and a presidential pardon.
