Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel brought forward felony charges against 16 different GOP members who he alleges acted as illegal electors for Trump in 2020. 

Nessel announced on Tuesday that all 16 individuals listed would receive 18 criminal charges, with the most severe carrying a 14-year prison sentence, 60 if all were applied. 

Charges encompass a range of offenses, such as conspiracy to commit forgery, actual forgery, uttering and publishing, conspiracy to commit uttering and publishing, conspiracy to commit election law forgery, and election law forgery.

Nessel began by calling any accusations that the 2020 election was rigged in Biden’s favor baseless and without merit. 

The accused include Kathy Berden, the head of the Michigan chapter of the Republican National Committee, Meshawn Maddock, the former co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, and Stan Grot, the Shelby Township Clerk.

Nessel said some might argue these charges are politically motivated. Still, with substantial evidence of multiple crimes, as a prosecutor, the most political action he thinks he could take would be to do nothing.

Special Counsel Jack Smith, who recently alluded to arresting former President Trump for a supposed “role” in the January 6 protests, has also been drawn to the situation.  

GOP state Sen. Ed McBroom said the Senate panel appointed to determine the integrity of the 2020 presidential election in Michigan found no wrongdoing. 

The case pursued by Nessel marks the first instance of any members of fake Electoral College slates for Trump being charged with criminal offenses. Nessel’s office has not excluded the possibility of bringing criminal charges against other defendants.

The investigation is currently ongoing. Each defendant who has been charged will have separate arraignments and may potentially face up to 85 years behind bars if convicted of all charges.