Conservative Lawyer’s Email Reveals Plot to Overturn Election Results
Just five days after Election Day in 2020, a conservative lawyer named Kenneth Chesebro sent an email to former judge James R. Troupis, who was working for the Trump campaign in Wisconsin, outlining a plan to overturn the election results. The email, recently released as part of a lawsuit settlement, detailed a strategy to allege “systemic abuses” and encourage legislatures to appoint pro-Trump electors instead of those chosen by voters.
Chesebro quickly joined the Trump legal team and laid out the plans in memos that are now central to the indictment of Donald J. Trump. With the help of Reince Priebus, the former White House chief of staff, they secured a meeting with Mr. Trump at the White House.
The newly released documents shed light on how the Trump campaign’s litigation strategy was designed to provide cover for their political efforts rather than win in court. They also highlight the pivotal role played by Troupis in furthering the plans.
The settlement of the lawsuit revealed how Chesebro worked to get false-electors documents into the hands of members of Congress and celebrated the gathering in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, before a violent mob stormed the Capitol.
The lawsuit was filed by Law Forward and Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection on behalf of legitimate Wisconsin presidential electors and voters. The settlement included an agreement from Troupis and Chesebro not to engage in similar work in the future and a payment to the plaintiffs.
The documents show that the fraudulent electors plot originated in Wisconsin and was part of a larger effort to overturn the election results. Chesebro’s memos were central to the federal indictment of Trump on charges of seeking to overturn the election.
The emails and text messages also reveal a meeting between Troupis, Chesebro, and Trump in the Oval Office, where they discussed their strategy. Despite the settlement, Troupis maintains that their representation was vigorous and ethically appropriate.
The details of the plot and the involvement of key figures like Troupis and Chesebro underscore the lengths to which some were willing to go to challenge the election results. The settlement of the lawsuit provides a glimpse into the inner workings of the effort to overturn the 2020 election.
