Electors Seek To Avoid Fine For Anti-Trump Effort

SEATTLE (AP) — Two Democratic presidential electors from Washington who want to see Donald Trump denied the presidency are asking a federal judge to ensure they don't get fined for ignoring the results of the popular vote here.

Bret Chiafalo and Levi Guerra took a voluntary pledge to vote for their party's nominee — Hillary Clinton — if she won Washington, which she did. But they want to join with other so-called "Hamilton electors" from both parties to choose some other candidate when the Electoral College meets next Monday.

Washington law provides that electors who break their pledge can be fined $1,000. They're asking U.S. District Judge James L. Robart to block that law at a hearing Wednesday afternoon. They argue that the law violates the Constitution, including free-speech rights.

Attorneys for the state argue that nothing about the law is unconstitutional.

By GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press

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