Kenneth (Ken) Chesebro
Kenneth (Ken) Chesebro is an attorney originally from Wisconsin Rapids and is one of the primary architects and proponents of the fake elector scheme in Wisconsin and nationally. Chesebro graduated from Harvard Law School in 1986 and represented clients in various liberal and underdog causes for decades. This included work on Al Gore’s legal team in 2000 and litigation against the tobacco industry that won massive damages for people whose health was harmed by smoking. He is licensed to practice law in several states, but not Wisconsin. In October 2023, Chesebro pleaded guilty before a Georgia state court to one felony charge of conspiracy to commit filing false documents in connection with the fake elector scheme in that state. His punishment includes five years of probation; 100 hours of community service; a $5,000 fine; a letter of apology to the people of Georgia; and a commitment to testify truthfully in any related trial in future.
Chesebro hatched the fake elector scheme, first floating the idea the day after major media outlets called the 2020 election for Biden. He wrote several quasi-legal memos to Wisconsin and national players detailing the scheme, he drafted paperwork for use in the participating states, he helped coordinate the execution of the plan in each of the states, and he attended the fake electors’ meeting in Wisconsin. As January 6 approached, he crafted a step-by-step memo for how members of Congress should obstruct proceedings, and another step-by-step memo for how the Vice President should handle the counting of the votes on January 6. Then he went to Washington, D.C. to try to deliver the ballots to Mike Pence and attended the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Chesebro lives in Puerto Rico. He is not currently permitted to practice law in California or Massachusetts. However, as of April 2024 he remains licensed to practice law in New York, Texas, and New Jersey (his licenses in Florida and Illinois are inactive). He is reportedly cooperating with prosecutors in Michigan, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin, as well as federal prosecutor Jack Smith. Chesebro is currently serving five years of probation as punishment for his Georgia felony conviction. He has never publicly repudiated his role in the fake elector scheme or acknowledged that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. As part of his settlement with the Penebaker plaintiffs, he agreed never to assist in a scheme to submit fake electoral votes.
On 6/4/24, Wisconsin Attorney General Kaul charged Chesebro with forgery, a felony.