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Michael “Mike” Roman is a Republican political operative and opposition researcher. He worked in the Trump White House and on both the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns. In 2022, it was revealed that he had been the individual to deliver fake electoral certificates for seven states to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021.
The Fulton indictment alleges that Roman played a central role in organizing the fake electors in Georgia and other states where they assembled and signed false electoral certificates.
Background
Mike Roman began his political career in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As his focus and work grew to the national level, he worked for the Koch Brothers’ network running an in-house intelligence and opposition research unit.
He went on to work in the White House under former President Donald Trump from 2017-2018. His role there was the Director of Special Projects and Research, and contrary to White House custom, his assumption of this role was not publicly announced. News sources have noted that this is “a vague title that reveals almost nothing.”
During the 2020 Election, Roman then worked as the Director of the Republican National Committee’s and Trump Campaign’s Election Day Operations.. In the days after the November 8, 2020 election, Roman is alleged to have organized the fake elector scheme that took place in 7 states across the country. Reports indicate that he served as a key organizer in getting the seven slates of fake electors gathered together across the country, and then that he delivered the final signed fake elector certificates to Washington, D.C.
Why Was Roman Indicted?
Mike Roman was indicted along with 18 co-defendants, including Donald Trump, in Fulton County, Georgia. The allegations in the indictment that name Roman focus on his efforts to organize and then operationalize the fake elector scheme in 7 states, including Georgia. As part of this effort, he collected the Georgia fake electors’ names and contact information, and asked unindicted co-conspirators in the state to keep him updated on the progress of the December 14, 2020 signing of Georgia’s fake electoral certificate. The indictment also includes allegations about his ultimately unsuccessful efforts to influence state legislators in Georgia and elsewhere to independently appoint slates of fake electors.
Mike Roman was indicted in the Fulton County, GA on 7 counts, including:
Racketeering and Influence Corruption Act (RICO)
Conspiracy to commit forgery
Conspiracy to impersonate a public officer
Conspiracy to commit false statements, and
Conspiracy to file false documents.
January 2024 Motion to Disqualify DA Willis
On January 8, 2024, Roman’s lawyers filed a motion on his behalf before Judge McAfee, asking that the judge dismiss the charges against Roman, or, in the alternative, to disqualify DA Willis from prosecuting the case. This motion involved claims that DA Willis was involved in a relationship with a contract prosecutor on her team. The motion did not attach any exhibits or evidence to support these claims.
Judge McAfee has indicated that DA Willis has until February 2nd to respond, and that he will hear oral argument on the motion on February 15, 2024.