Newly released transcripts of secret grand jury proceedings in Las Vegas reveal that a lawyer involved in orchestrating the Trump campaign's fake elector scheme in 2020 was a target in a criminal investigation in Nevada. The lawyer, Kenneth Chesebro, testified to a grand jury in late November, providing details about the plot that led to the recent indictments of six Nevada Republicans. These Republicans made a last-ditch attempt to keep then-President Donald Trump in power by sending a phony electoral certificate to the National Archives. The individuals involved in the scheme, who were part of the GOP at the state or county level, now face charges in state court for offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument.

Chesebro's cooperation deal with the state Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford's office in Nevada comes after his plea agreement in Georgia, where he was charged alongside Trump and 17 others for participating in efforts to overturn Trump's loss in the state. In Georgia, Chesebro pleaded guilty to one felony charge of conspiracy to commit filing false documents.

During his testimony to the grand jury in Nevada, Chesebro outlined the step-by-step explanation he provided to the state GOP on how to sign false certificates stating that Trump had won in Nevada instead of President Joe Biden. He also expressed concern about Nevada's election process, stating that it required the meeting of electors to be overseen by the Secretary of State and should only permit electoral votes for the popular vote winner in the state.

The transcripts reveal that the grand jury was seated on November 14, nearly three years after the six Nevada Republicans gathered and signed the fake certificate. The grand jury met twice more before handing up the indictment. Testimony was also given by a National Archives employee, a U.S. Postal Service inspector, investigators on the case, and Mark Wlaschin, the deputy secretary of state for elections in Nevada.

Wlaschin described his disbelief upon receiving the false slate of electors claiming Trump won Nevada. He reached out to the National Archives to inform them of the likely arrival of the documents. Wlaschin found the folder containing the fake documents to be unconventional and described them as "bizarro documents."

In response to the upcoming arraignment of the fake electors, former President Donald Trump expressed sympathy for them during a rally in Reno. He called out Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, one of the indicted individuals, and described him as a "tremendous man" who loves the country and the state. Trump did not directly mention the charges or the court date during his speech.

The sympathy from Trump towards the individuals involved in the fake elector scheme has raised concerns about his authoritarian rhetoric and ambitions to return to the White House. Nevada, being the fourth state to choose delegates for the Republican presidential nomination, holds significance in the race. Trump aims to win all of Nevada's delegates in the caucuses to secure the GOP nomination early on.

The six fake electors in Nevada have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to face trial in March. The Nevada GOP, under McDonald's leadership, pushed to hold a caucus despite a state law requiring a primary, causing concerns among Republicans that the caucus rules would favor Trump. The setup of having a state-run primary and a party-run caucus on separate dates has led to confusion and criticism from some Nevada Republicans and Trump's rivals.

In conclusion, the transcripts of the secret grand jury proceedings in Las Vegas shed light on the lawyer's cooperation deal and testimony, as well as the involvement of key individuals, such as the deputy secretary of state for elections in Nevada. The sympathy expressed by Trump towards the indicted fake electors has raised concerns, given his ambitions for a presidential comeback. The upcoming trial and the confusion surrounding Nevada's caucus system further add to the complexity and significance of the case.