Former Trump aides allege judicial misconduct in Wisconsin fake elector case

In a stunning legal development, former Trump attorney Jim Troupis has formally accused a Wisconsin judge of misconduct in a high-profile 2020 election case, demanding the judge’s recusal from proceedings related to charges stemming from an alleged fake elector scheme.

Troupis, who represented former President Donald Trump during Wisconsin’s 2020 election challenges, filed the motion just one week before a scheduled preliminary hearing in Dane County Circuit Court. Two co-defendants—Kenneth Chesebro, a Trump campaign legal advisor, and Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day operations in 2020—joined Troupis in the filing.

The three men face 11 felony charges for allegedly participating in a scheme to submit paperwork falsely claiming Trump had won Wisconsin in the 2020 presidential election. Each charge carries potential penalties of up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Specific details of the alleged judicial misconduct remain sealed by the court and unavailable to the public. Troupis claims that Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland’s August decision to allow the case to proceed was “the byproduct of misconduct,” though when contacted, Troupis’ attorney Joe Bugni declined to elaborate on the allegations. Judge Hyland did not respond to messages seeking comment.

The defendants are requesting extraordinary relief: postponement of their December 15 preliminary hearing, recusal of all Dane County judges, and transfer of the case to another county. They’ve also asked for an evidentiary hearing before a judge from a different county to examine their misconduct claims. According to court filings, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which is prosecuting the case under Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, opposes any delay.

The Wisconsin case represents one of the remaining legal challenges tied to the 2020 election’s aftermath. Federal prosecutors investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot have noted that the fake electors scheme originated in Wisconsin before spreading to other battleground states.

According to the criminal complaint, Troupis, Chesebro, and Roman created fraudulent documentation falsely certifying Trump had won Wisconsin’s 10 Electoral College votes, then attempted to deliver this document to then-Vice President Mike Pence. The defendants maintain no crime occurred, but Judge Hyland rejected their arguments when allowing the case to proceed this summer.

The Wisconsin charges specifically focus on the alleged forgery used to defraud the 10 Republican electors who cast ballots for Trump in 2020 as part of the contested scheme. Notably, none of the electors themselves have been criminally charged, though they, along with Chesebro and Troupis, settled a separate civil lawsuit related to the matter in 2023.

The Wisconsin case stands in contrast to legal developments in other swing states. In September, a Michigan judge dismissed similar charges against fake electors in that state. Last year, a special prosecutor dropped federal charges alleging Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 election. Related cases in Nevada and Georgia continue but remain far from trial.

Wisconsin has remained a critical battleground state in recent presidential contests. Trump won the state in 2016 and again in 2024, but lost it to President Joe Biden in 2020—a result Trump vigorously contested despite multiple recounts confirming his defeat.

The defendants’ motion comes as the legal landscape surrounding the 2020 election continues to evolve four years after the contested presidential race. Their allegations against Judge Hyland represent a significant escalation in what has already been a contentious legal battle spanning multiple states and jurisdictions.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice has not yet issued a formal response to the latest filing beyond their objection to postponing the preliminary hearing.