Fake elector launches effort to 'guard' the Constitution

A retired Air Force veteran is launching a new project that aims to guard the Constitution. The wrinkle: He was a so-called "fake elector" in the 2020 election.

A retired Air Force veteran has launched a new project whose aim he says is to guard the Constitution, educate public officials and inspire activism across the country. 

But there’s a wrinkle: The veteran is among those accused of trying to derail the 2020 election, who are now under scrutiny by federal prosecutors.

Shawn Meehan, 57, was a "fake elector" in Nevada, who in 2020, along with five other Republicans in the state, signed documents that authorities say aimed to interfere with Joe Biden’s rightful electoral victory. At least two fellow pro-Trump electors in Nevada have testified before a special grand jury in Washington, D.C. Meehan, who has retained an attorney, would not say whether he has been subpoenaed to testify. 

Now Meehan — who serves on the Nevada Republican Central Committee and a Douglas County GOP committee, told NBC News he has launched a venture whose objective is to educate the public on the Constitution and motivate citizens to engage with local officials. The end goal, said Meehan, is to prod elected officials to vote in a constitutionally sound manner by reaching out to them and making constitutional arguments before they take action. 

Meehan said the thrust is to educate the public to approach its representatives “not in an abusive format but in a calm, informed, very strong and assertive format to engage with their elected officials, using a proven model.”