In the wake of Donald Trump's defeat six months ago, Republicans launched a desperate search for illegally cast ballots to help justify the GOP's conspiracy theories. But despite all the hysterical rhetoric, only a handful of legitimate allegations have been raised, and some involve Republicans casting illegal ballots for Trump on behalf of dead relatives.

Take Bruce Bartman, for example. The Washington Post reported this morning:

Weeks before Election Day, Bruce Bartman mailed his mother's absentee ballot with a check mark next to President Donald Trump's name. The problem was, his mother had been dead since 2008. Bartman, 70, pleaded guilty on Friday to a charge of felony perjury and unlawful voting — and blamed his decision to cast the fraudulent ballot on consuming too many false claims about the election.

Expressing regret for his crime, the Pennsylvanian conceded, "I listened to too much propaganda and made a stupid mistake."

A local judge reminded Bartman that his crime "goes to the heart of our democracy," before sentencing the defendant to five years' probation.

The Post's report added, "In addition to Bartman, two other men in Pennsylvania face charges of fraudulently voting for Trump, according to the [Philadelphia] Inquirer. Ralph Thurman of Chester County allegedly tried to cast his son's vote and Richard Lynn of Luzerne County allegedly attempted to obtain an absentee ballot for his deceased mother. Both cases are pending."