On Friday, a Nevada judge dismissed a case against six individuals who falsely claimed that former President Donald Trump won the state in the 2020 presidential election.

What Happened: The case, dismissed by Clark County District Judge Mary Kay Holthus, was against six individuals called “fake electors.” They were charged with falsely claiming that Trump had won the state. President Joe Biden secured victory in Nevada in 2020 by over 33,000 votes.

The judge ruled that the Nevada attorney general’s prosecutors had chosen the wrong venue to file the case. The trial, which was scheduled for January, has been called off, reported The Hill.

The defense attorneys argued that the case should have been filed in a northern Nevada city closer to where the alleged crime occurred. The Nevada Attorney General’s office has expressed disagreement with the judge’s decision and plans to appeal.

See Also: In Trump Vs. Biden Race, Big Lead For One Candidate In Iowa Seen As ‘Bad Sign’ For The Other In Key Battleground States: Poll

“We disagree with the judge’s decision and will be appealing immediately,” stated John Sadler, a spokesperson for the Nevada attorney general’s office.

Following the judge’s decision, the defense attorneys stated that the case was “done” as the three-year statute of limitations on filing charges expired in December. This means that the state is unlikely to bring the case to a grand jury in a different venue.

Why It Matters: The six individuals, who are pro-Trump electors, were charged with a felony of offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged document. These charges carry penalties of up to five years in prison, the report noted.

Besides Nevada, pro-Trump electors have faced criminal charges in three other states: Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona.

The case against the “fake electors” in Nevada is part of a larger trend. In May, it was reported that 84 Republicans across seven states falsely claimed to be Trump’s presidential electors in December 2020. However, their treatment has varied based on location, with some facing serious charges while others have been seen as unwitting participants.

The latest development comes amid a close race expected between Trump and Biden in the 2024 presidential election. Election polls of nationally registered voters show a close battle between the two in a rematch of the 2020 presidential election.

Read Next: Trump’s Niece Says Letting Her Uncle Back In White House In A ‘Life Or Death’ Election Is A Peril: ‘Serious National Security Threat To American People’

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

A Nevada state court judge dismissed a criminal indictment Friday against six Republicans accused of submitting certificates to Congress falsely declaring Donald Trump the winner of the state’s 2020 presidential election, potentially killing the case by ruling that state prosecutors chose the wrong venue to file the case. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford stood in a Las Vegas courtroom after Clark County District Judge Mary Kay Holthus delivered her ruling, declaring that he would take the case directly to the state’s Supreme Court, the AP reports. “The judge got it wrong, and we’ll be appealing immediately,” Ford told reporters.

Defense attorneys declared the case dead, saying that to bring it now to another grand jury in another venue would violate a three-year statute of limitations that expired in December. “They’re done,” said Margaret McLetchie, attorney for Clark County Republican Party Chairman Jesse Law. The judge called off the trial, which had been scheduled for next January, for defendants including state GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, national party committee member Jim DeGraffenreid, national and Douglas County committee member Shawn Meehan, and Eileen Rice, a party member from the Lake Tahoe area. Each was charged with offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument, felonies that carry penalties of up to four or five years in prison.

Defense attorneys contended that Ford improperly brought the case in Las Vegas instead of Carson City, the capital, or Reno, cities closer to where he says a crime occurred. They also accused prosecutors of failing to present to the grand jury evidence that would have exonerated their clients. All but Meehan have been named delegates to the 2024 Republican National Convention next month in Milwaukee. Nevada is one of seven presidential battleground states where slates of fake electors falsely certified that Trump had won in 2020 over Democrat Joe Biden. Others are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Criminal charges have been brought in Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona.

(More Nevada stories.)

HealtHIE Nevada, the Silver State’s health information exchange, said this week that it is working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense to make their patients’ clinical information available to service members statewide.

Since the connection went live on June 12, active-duty military members, veterans and their families can use the exchange to access labs, medications and discharge information – with HealtHIE also making electronic health record data available to VA and DoD providers.

DoD and VA are now two of more than 140 organizations across Nevada that work with HealtHIE to securely manage clinical data among physician practices, hospitals, diagnostic services and other care providers in Nevada – eliminating the need for patients to collect and transport paper records to their appointments.

THE LARGER TREND
HealtHIE Nevada points to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau that shows more than 226,000 veterans and 13,000 active-duty military personnel in Nevada – many of whom get care in both the VA system and from non-VA community providers.

This new connection will enable providers at the VA to access clinical data from other organizations that participate in HealtHIE Nevada, such as Renown Health, Dignity Health, Saint Mary’s Medical Center, University Medical Center and others. 

ON THE RECORD
“Whether on active duty, reacclimating to civilian life or years into their retirement journey, we’re honored to help our active-duty military and veterans by allowing doctors and other healthcare providers access to their medical records in a seamless and secure manner,” said Michael Gagnon, executive director of HealtHIE Nevada in a press statement.

“This new service is designed to enhance care coordination between VA, DoD and local healthcare facilities to ultimately improve patient care wherever they receive care in Nevada,” he added.

Mike Miliard is executive editor of Healthcare IT News
Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS publication.