Rose Rook

Role

Rose Rook — Former Van Buren County Republican Party chair; retired realtor.

The Michigan elector certificate

Rose Rook was one of 16 Michigan Republicans who met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters in Lansing on December 14, 2020 and signed a document declaring themselves "the duly elected and qualified electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America for the State of Michigan" for Donald Trump and Mike Pence, and falsely stating the meeting occurred "at the state capitol." The claim was false: Michigan's certified electoral votes, reflecting Joe Biden's certified win in the state, were cast by Michigan's Biden-Harris electors, at the Capitol, the same day. Michigan's document contained no conditional or contingency language.

Legal proceedings

Rose Rook was charged on July 18, 2023 by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel with eight felony counts (two counts forgery, conspiracy to commit forgery, two counts election-law forgery, conspiracy to commit election-law forgery, publishing a counterfeit record, and conspiring to publish a counterfeit record) in connection with the elector certificate. On September 9, 2025, a 54-A District Court judge dismissed the charges against Rose Rook after a preliminary examination, ruling prosecutors had not proven criminal intent. On March 9, 2026, Attorney General Nessel announced she would not appeal, closing the state case. Rose Rook was not convicted of any charge in this case.

On November 9–10, 2025, President Trump issued Rose Rook a federal pardon covering offenses related to the 2020 election. This pardon covers federal exposure only; no federal charges had been filed against Rose Rook, and the pardon has no legal effect on the separate (by then already-dismissed) Michigan state case.

Connection to the incident

See 2020 Fake Elector Scheme for the coordinated multi-state effort and its intended use during the January 6, 2021 congressional electoral count.