Concerns over the fairness of a trial for Jim Troupis, who acted as the campaign attorney for Donald Trump in Wisconsin during the 2020 election, have prompted his legal team to seek a change of location. They argue that Troupis cannot receive an impartial trial in Dane County.
In court briefs submitted on Tuesday, Troupis’ attorneys requested the dismissal of one felony forgery charge, citing a federal pardon received by Troupis and others involved in efforts to contest the 2020 election results.
Troupis is facing charges related to an alleged scheme involving false electors, where Republican delegates in Wisconsin and other key battlegrounds falsely certified Donald Trump as the winner, despite his loss. This scheme is believed to have originated in Wisconsin, as suggested by documents uncovered by investigators. Both Troupis and former Trump campaign attorney Ken Chesebro are accused of orchestrating this plan, which they claim was intended to preserve Trump’s legal options as election challenges proceeded through the courts.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice initiated criminal proceedings against Troupis, Chesebro, and Mike Roman, a former campaign aide of Trump, in 2024. These legal actions follow a judge’s December ruling affirming probable cause to advance the case against Troupis, despite unsuccessful attempts to contest the judge’s conduct in the proceedings.
One brief argues that pervasive media attention over the last five years has compromised Troupis’ chances of a fair trial. His lawyers assert that public figures in Dane County, including state Supreme Court justices and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway, have publicly criticized Troupis, influencing public opinion and potentially prejudicing jurors. Furthermore, they contend that the Department of Justice’s claim that Troupis’ actions harmed all Wisconsin voters whose ballots were challenged renders nearly every potential Dane County juror a victim.
The brief emphasizes, “This case is headed to trial. No question. Neither side is going to blink. And when we get to trial, Troupis has the right to a fair and impartial jury. To make sure that he has that, the jurors must be free of bias and contempt, they can’t be victims and they can’t identify with them. That, plus provocative and emotionally-charged pretrial publicity, necessitates a change of venue.”
In a separate brief, Troupis’ defense seeks to dismiss one of the 11 charges, arguing that the federal pardon he received should apply since the actions pertain to a federal process. However, they acknowledge that federal pardons typically do not affect state-level investigations. Troupis’ legal team also contends that the document signed by the false electors was legitimate and not a forgery.
The remaining ten charges are connected to the false electors themselves, whom prosecutors claim were deceived by Troupis, Chesebro, and Roman. These electors have already resolved a civil lawsuit related to their actions in December 2020, admitting their role in an attempt to improperly overturn the election results. Both Troupis and Chesebro have also reached settlements in that civil case.
