Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced felony charges against 16 Michigan residents for their role in putting forth ‘false electors’ to try to help Trump following the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
The charges are: One count of Conspiracy to Commit Forgery, a 14-year felony, Two counts of Forgery, a 14-year felony, One count of Conspiracy to Commit Uttering and Publishing, a 14-year felony, One count of Uttering and Publishing, a 14-year felony, One count of Conspiracy to Commit Election Law Forgery, a 5-year felony, and, Two counts of Election Law Forgery, a 5-year felony.
“The false electors’ actions undermined the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections and, we believe, also plainly violated the laws by which we administer our elections in Michigan,” said Nessel.
“My department has prosecuted numerous cases of election law violations throughout my tenure, and it would be malfeasance of the greatest magnitude if my department failed to act here in the face of overwhelming evidence of an organized effort to circumvent the lawfully cast ballots of millions of Michigan voters in a presidential election.
“The evidence will demonstrate there was no legal authority for the false electors to purport to act as ‘duly elected presidential electors’ and execute the false electoral documents.
“Every serious challenge to the election had been denied, dismissed, or otherwise rejected by the time the false electors convened.
“There was no legitimate legal avenue or plausible use of such a document or an alternative slate of electors.
“There was only the desperate effort of these defendants, who we have charged with deliberately attempting to interfere with and overturn our free and fair election process, and along with it, the will of millions of Michigan voters.
“That the effort failed and democracy prevailed does not erase the crimes of those who enacted the false electors plot.”
The charged defendants are:
Kathy Berden, 70, of Snover
William (Hank) Choate, 72, of Cement City
Amy Facchinello, 55, of Grand Blanc
Clifford Frost, 75, of Warren
Stanley Grot, 71, of Shelby Township
John Haggard, 82, of Charlevoix
Mary-Ann Henry, 65, of Brighton
Timothy King, 56, of Ypsilanti
Michele Lundgren, 73, of Detroit
Meshawn Maddock, 55, of Milford
James Renner, 76, of Lansing
Mayra Rodriguez, 64, of Grosse Pointe Farms
Rose Rook, 81, of Paw Paw
Marian Sheridan, 69, of West Bloomfield
Ken Thompson, 68, of Orleans
Kent Vanderwood, 69, of Wyoming
In some states, the electors who came forward on an alternative slate specifically noted they were only valid if Trump won his legal challenges. Some did not so expect to see a few more of these soon.
Why they waited this long to bring charges is a mystery.
Today, @MIAttyGen @dananessel announced felony charges against 16 Michigan residents for their role in the alleged false electors scheme following the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Read more ➡️ https://t.co/ODhkAQfXNP /1 pic.twitter.com/u5riNpTD5I
— Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (@MIAttyGen) July 18, 2023
