Wisconsin judge orders release of records on fake elector

by Steff Danielle Thomas - 08/04/23 10:32 PM ET

A image showing both real and fake elector certificates is displayed as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol held its final meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A judge ordered the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) on Friday to release records related to one of its members accused of posing as a fake elector in a scheme to overturn the state’s 2020 election results for former President Trump.

Law Forward, a firm representing union leaders, filed a complaint with the commission in 2021 arguing that the fake electors were breaking election laws. Robert Spindell Jr., one of only three Republicans serving on the commission, chose not to recuse himself and the complaint was ultimately rejected.

The firm argued in its lawsuit that the commission failed to release the information despite multiple requests filed under Wisconsin’s open records law. According to the suit, the elections commission instead provided only a single document echoing comments Spindell had made publicly, and claimed they did not hold his records.

Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost on Friday called the commission’s argument “nonsensical.”

“Records held by WEC commissioners are in the custody of WEC and must be provided in response to a records request.”

The commission has until Sept. 8 to “perform a complete review and produce all records in its possession, whether held by staff or commissioners” that aren’t exempt from public information laws.

Earlier on Friday, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) pushed for accountability against the 10 people, including Spindell, accused of participating in the fake electors scheme.

“There has to be accountability,” Evers said after a bill signing ceremony. “What they did was wrong, and so I’m hoping somebody will pick up the banner here, because this has to happen.”

Seven states in total were implicated in the fake electors scheme, including: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The group signed paperwork attempting to cast electoral college ballots for Trump instead of their states’ actual winner, President Biden.

The push also comes a day after Trump was arraigned on federal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

Tags 2020 election Donald Trump fake electors Joe Biden Tony Evers Trump indictment Wisconsin Wisconsin Election Commission