Latest news with #Chesebro
UPI
5 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
Kenneth Chesebro disbarred in N.Y. over fake electors conviction
A New York State court on Thursday disbarred Kenneth Chesebro over his effort to overturn the 2020 general election. File Photo via Fulton County Sheriff's Office/UPI | License Photo June 27 (UPI) -- Kenneth Chesebro, the alleged architect behind the fake electors scheme to keep Donald Trump in the White House following his 2020 election loss, has been disbarred in New York. A New York State appellate court issued its ruling Thursday. In support of its decision to disbar him, the court pointed to Chesebro's guilty plea in Georgia to a single count of conspiracy to file false documents in the bogus Trump elector scheme. "On that basis alone, respondent's conduct brings into question his integrity and fitness to continue engaging in the practice of law in New York," the court said in its seven-page opinion. It continued that his conduct "undercuts the very notion of our constitutional democracy that he, as an attorney, swore an oath to uphold. Moreover, his cavalier attitude regarding his actions, particularly in the face of his extensive background in the areas of constitutional and election law, largely aggravates his conduct, notwithstanding his lack of disciplinary history." Chesebro was charged in an August 2023 multi-count indictment along with Donald Trump and 17 others for their involvement in a scheme to overturn the state's 2020 election results that showed the New York real state mogul had lost to Joe Biden. The 64-year-old is widely considered the architect of what would become known as the fake electors scheme, which was a strategy to create false slates of pro-Trump electors in seven battleground states that he lost to Biden, including Georgia. In October 2024, Chesebro struck a plea deal with prosecutors in the case, agreeing to plead guilty to a single conspiracy count and a sentence of five years of probation, 100 hours of community service, restitution of $5,000 and a requirement to write an apology letter to the citizens of Georgia. Chesebro was suspended from practicing law in New York State in October.
Politico
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Former Trump lawyer loses law license in New York
A lawyer who was part of a plot to overturn the results of the 2020 election and keep Donald Trump in power has lost his license to practice in New York. A New York appeals court determined Thursday that Kenneth Chesebro should be disbarred because of his 2023 conviction in Georgia for his role in the effort to subvert the election. Chesebro has admitted to helping craft a bid to send fraudulent pro-Trump electors from six states to Congress in hopes of flipping the outcome of the election. Chesebro's conduct, the panel wrote in its decision, 'strike[s] at the heart of the administration of justice,' and undercuts the very notion of our constitutional democracy that he, as an attorney, swore an oath to uphold.' Chesebro had his law license suspended by the appeals court in October 2024. He was admitted to the state bar in 2007. Chesebro, who assisted former Vice President Al Gore's legal team amid the legal fallout of the 2000 presidential election, wrote several memos giving rise to the fake elector plot in the months after Trump's November 2020 loss. Alongside his Georgia guilty plea, Chesebro also cooperated with prosecutors in Arizona and Georgia and is currently charged in connection with the fraudulent elector plot in Wisconsin. 'Moreover, his cavalier attitude regarding his actions, particularly in the face of his extensive background in the areas of constitutional and election law, largely aggravates his conduct,' the panel said. An attorney representing Chesebro did not immediately respond to a request for comment from POLITICO. Several lawyers who assisted in Trump's bid to overturn the 2020 election have faced consequences for their efforts. Chief among them is attorney John Eastman, who lost his law license in California in 2024.
NBC News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Former Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro disbarred in New York over 2020 election interference case
Kenneth Chesebro, a former legal adviser for Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign, is now barred from practicing law in New York over his role in a scheme to overturn Trump's election loss five years ago. In an order Thursday, a state appeals court in New York said that Chesebro's criminal conduct, namely conspiring to commit filing false documents in connection with efforts to negate Trump's 2020 defeat in Georgia to President Joe Biden, 'undercuts the very notion of our constitutional democracy that he, as an attorney, swore an oath to uphold.' Chesebro was first admitted to practice law in New York in 2007. His disbarment is effective immediately, the order states. Chesebro struck a plea deal with Georgia prosecutors in 2023, when he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents after being indicted on seven counts. Trump pleaded not guilty in the case, which included indictments against him, Chesebro and 17 others. The case stalled this year, in large part due to Trump's election win in November and the removal of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as prosecutor. The court, which had initially suspended Chesebro from practicing law in the state last year, said in Thursday's order that Chesebro's "cavalier attitude regarding his actions, particularly in the face of his extensive background in the areas of constitutional and election law, largely aggravates his conduct." According to the order, an official tasked with putting together a report on evidence and testimony also disputed an argument from Chesebro's attorney that it was incorrect to characterize his client as the architect of Trump's plans to overturn the election. The court said that the official noted that 'despite efforts to combat the description that respondent was the 'architect' of Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, the testimony and documentary evidence produced at the hearing fully support such a claim, inasmuch as respondent's legal analysis and implementation guidelines fueled the effort.' An attorney for Chesebro did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday night. Chesebro is one of many Trump-allied attorneys who were penalized for their involvement in the president's election interference efforts.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kenneth Chesebro, ‘architect' of pro-Trump 2020 fake elector scheme, disbarred in N.Y.
The Republican efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election were multifaceted, but among the strikingly partisan tactics was the fake electors scheme: GOP officials and operatives in key states created forged election materials and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Archivist (among others) as if the materials were legitimate. They were not. Though the relevant players didn't know it at the time, the controversy has become one of the most consequential political scandals in a generation, racking up indictment totals unseen since Watergate and Iran-Contra. The man widely credited as the 'architect' of that scheme is still confronting the consequences of his misjudgment. The Hill reported: Ex-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who helped devise President Trump's alternate electors strategy in 2020, has been disbarred in New York. A panel of judges on the Appellate Division — New York's midlevel appeals court — ruled Thursday that Chesebro's guilty plea in Georgia's probe of efforts to subvert the state's 2020 election results qualifies as a 'serious crime,' a finding that begets disciplinary action. The judicial panel didn't pull any punches, concluding that Chesebro's guilty plea on one felony count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents was 'unquestionably serious' and reflected on his 'integrity and fitness to continue engaging in the practice of law in New York.' They added that the Republican's misconduct undercut 'the very notion of our constitutional democracy that he, as an attorney, swore an oath to uphold.' It was nearly two years ago when Chesebro, among others, was first indicted in Georgia as part of the Republican effort to overturn the state's election results. It was those charges that led to a plea deal, which in turn has led to his disbarment in New York. But this does not bring an end to his saga: Chesebro is still facing criminal charges in Wisconsin as part of his role in implanting the Badger State's fake electors scheme. Because both the Georgia and Wisconsin cases relate to state charges, a presidential pardon wouldn't help him. Indeed, it's worth appreciating the unusual nature of the broader circumstances: Chesebro is still being punished for trying to overturn the results of a free and fair American election, while Trump — who went even further to try to overturn that same election — was rewarded with the presidency. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on
The Hill
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Ex-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro disbarred in New York
Ex-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who helped devise President Trump's alternate electors strategy in 2020, has been disbarred in New York. A panel of judges on the Appellate Division — New York's midlevel appeals court — ruled Thursday that Chesebro's guilty plea in Georgia's probe of efforts to subvert the state's 2020 election results qualifies as a 'serious crime,' a finding that begets disciplinary action. The panel wrote that Chesebro's guilty plea on one felony count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents is 'unquestionably serious.' 'On that basis alone, respondent's conduct brings into question his integrity and fitness to continue engaging in the practice of law in New York,' the decision reads. But the former lawyer's conduct went a step further, the panel said, undercutting 'the very notion of our constitutional democracy that he, as an attorney, swore an oath to uphold.' 'Given the testimony and evidence produced at the hearing, we conclude that respondent should be disbarred based on his conviction of a serious crime,' they wrote. Chesebro pleaded guilty in the Georgia case in 2023 — a plea he's unsuccessfully tried to invalidate — narrowly avoiding becoming the first of dozens of defendants to go to trial over efforts to keep Trump in power after he lost the 2020 presidential election in the state. Trump himself faces several criminal charges in the case, which has been on hold since Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's office was booted from prosecuting the case. Her office has appealed that decision. Chesebro helped craft the so-called 'fake electors' scheme that pushed to certify slates of Trump supporting electors in battleground states instead of the true electoral votes for former President Biden. He initially faced seven felony counts, including the state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act charge with which all defendants were charged. The allegations against him primarily reflected his efforts to organize the pro-Trump electors. Alternate electors convened in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Nevada and Wisconsin — all states won by Biden that election. The fake electors claimed without basis that they were 'duly elected' electors, and criminal charges have since been filed in several of those states. Chesebro's New York law license was suspended last fall. He still faces criminal charges in Wisconsin over his role there in the scheme. Several other Trump lawyers who were charged in connection with the alternate electors plan have faced disciplinary action or disbarment for their roles, as well.
