Demand a jury trial. A jury can decide not to follow a bad law and vote not guilty. Or if only one refused to vote guilty he could be let off when the prosecutor dose not refill.
Even if he wins, he and his family will likely be bankrupted by the legal fees.
He is being overcharged so that he will be under overwhelming pressure to accept a plea bargain, which will very negatively impact his future.
This whole incident is a "lesson" to conservatives: say anything that Lib officials dislike, and your life will be ended.