A coalition of activist groups, including Democracy Spring, Americans Take Action, the Electoral College Petition, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, is attempting to stage protests at every state capitol on Monday, December 19 to convince members of the Electoral College to “listen to the voice of the people and refuse to cast their ballots for Donald Trump.” You can sign up for the “peaceful, patriotic, nonviolent, and family-friendly” South Dakota protest—Monday, 9 a.m. Central, State Capitol—online.

I’ve laid out several reasons South Dakota’s Electors could use to justify voting for someone other than Putin’s puppet. Harvard’s Lawrence Lessig, who is organizing free legal assistance for balky Electors, says 20 Trump Electors are thinking about voting for someone else, but we’d need 37 to not just think about it but do it to throw the outcome into doubt. I agree with Andrew Prokop of Vox that a sufficiently large Electoral College revolt is unlikely. U.S. News calls it a “moonshot.”

But Team Trump takes no chances. They are apparently letting Republican Electors know that they bolt at their own political peril:

“We have gotten reports from multiple people,” the elector said, “that the Donald Trump campaign is putting pressure on Republican electors to vote for him based on . . . future political outcomes based on whether they vote for Donald Trump or not.” …“It’s all political, basically,” the elector said. “If Trump becomes the president, he’s going to be able to put pressure on the state parties and they won’t be involved anymore” [Matthew Rozsa, “Source: Donald Trump’s Campaign Is Threatening ‘Political Reprisal’ for Defecting Republican Electors,” Salon, 2016.12.13].

Governor Daugaard, you’ve said you have run your last political race, so you’ve got nothing to lose from any Trump political vindictiveness. Attorney General Marty Jackley, you don’t need Trump to win the Governor’s race here in South Dakota (and your GOP opponent, Rep. Kristi Noem, already stood Trump up on his AgSec interview request, so you’re even!). Lt. Gov. Matt Michels, everybody in South Dakota likes you, so what do you care about political reprisals from Donald Trump?

And hey—if each of you three can bring another eleven Electors with you, Donald Trump may not be in any position to work any political reprisal on you.