The office of special counsel Jack Smith is engaged in discussions with Michael Roman, a high-ranking official from Donald Trump's 2020 campaign. The talks revolve around Roman voluntarily providing answers to questions related to the investigation into the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
What Happened: Roman is expected to shed light on the creation of replacement slates of pro-Trump electors in states won by President Joe Biden, according to a report in The New York Times.
If Roman agrees to participate in an interview with federal prosecutors, it could be the first time someone with direct knowledge of the fake elector plan cooperates with prosecutors, making it a significant development in the case.
Additionally, it has been reported that Smith is granting limited immunity to select electors who are willing to testify, further highlighting the focus on this aspect of the probe.
The discussions with Roman indicate that Smith is actively pursuing the investigation into election interference, even as attention has been focused on another case — the recent indictment of former President Trump in Florida for charges related to classified documents and obstruction. Witnesses connected to the fake elector plan have appeared before a grand jury investigating Trump and his allies' attempts to overturn the election.
Emails reviewed by The New York Times last summer revealed that Roman played a significant role in coordinating the fake elector plan and finding ways to challenge Trump's losses in many battleground states. He reportedly worked closely with other campaign lawyers and advisers in assembling support for creating false elector slates. The strategy aimed to prevent President Biden's certification as the winner of the election.
Why It Matters: The fake elector plan orchestrated by Trump and his allies represents a central aspect of their extensive efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The plan involved a wide array of pro-Trump lawyers, state Republican officials and White House aides, and began before some states had even completed ballot counting.
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