NEW PROBE: Reelected Michigan AG will hold Trump allies accountable for fake elector plot
Recently reelected Democratic Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced an investigation into the actions of Michigan Republicans working on behalf of Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The group of 16 GOP officials submitted a fraudulently signed document to the National Archives claiming the former President had won the state’s electoral votes.
A year ago, Nessel referred the matter to federal prosecutors in the Western District of Michigan after details emerged that the fake elector plot was a coordinated effort among Trump allies in multiple states.
But overwhelming evidence gathered in the House Select Committee’s investigation into January 6th — and a lack of swift action by the U.S. Attorney’s office — gave Nessel what she feels is enough to re-open her office’s investigation.
“What we’ve seen from the Jan. 6 committee is an overwhelming amount of evidence. I thought there was already a substantial amount of evidence in that case. But now, there is just clear evidence to support charges against those … 16 false electors, at least in our state.”
The phony document, signed in December 2020, contradicts an earlier, legitimate document prepared by Michigan GOP chair Laura Cox, The Detroit News previously reported. The real document acknowledged that Trump didn’t actually win Michigan.
Cox testified before the House Select Committee about the situation.
Several of the alternate electors have claimed that they did not know that they were adding their signature to an illegal document.
Shelby Township Clerk Stan Grot, Detroit’s Michele Lundgren, and John Haggard have all denied knowingly signing a fraudulent document.
As expected, the Michigan Republican Party has accused Attorney General Nessel of using her position to play partisan politics.
“Michiganders deserve better than a law enforcement official who is using taxpayer dollars to perpetually persecute her political enemies, ” Michigan GOP communications director Elizabeth Stoddart said.
Stoddart conveniently leaves out that there was a proven fake elector plot concocted by members of the state’s Republican Party, and that Nessel’s GOP opponent for Attorney General continuously attacked Nessel during his campaign – and threatened to have her arrested if he was elected.
“Electors possibly violated state laws against forgery of a public record and election-related forgery,” Nessel said according to The Detroit News.
State laws ban knowingly filing false documents with the intent to commit fraud.
Let’s hope that Attorney General Nessel’s new initiative will provide the incentive for no one else to ever attempt such fraud again.
Original reporting by Craig Mauger at The Detroit News.
Follow Ty Ross on Twitter @cooltxchick
