Michigan charges 16 fake voters for Donald Trump with felonies

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LANSING, Mich. >> Michigan’s attorney general today filed felony charges against 16 Republicans who acted as fake voters for former President Donald Trump in 2020, accusing them of submitting false certificates proving they were legitimate voters voters despite Joe Biden’s victory in the state.

Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, announced today that all 16 people will face eight criminal charges, including forgery and conspiracy to commit election fraud, which range from a potential five to 14 years in prison each .

The group included the head of the Michigan chapter of the Republican National Committee, Kathy Berden, as well as the former co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, Meshawn Maddock, and Shelby Township Clerk Stan Grot.

“The actions of the fraudulent electors undermine the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections and, we believe, also clearly violate the laws by which we administer our elections in Michigan,” Nessel said in a statement.

Electors are people appointed to represent voters in presidential elections. The winner of the popular vote in each state determines which party’s electors are sent to the Electoral College, which meets in December after the election to certify the result.

The group allegedly met inside the then-Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, and signed their names to multiple certificates stating they were qualified voters for Trump. These false documents were sent to Congress and the National Archives.

In January of last year, Nessel asked federal prosecutors to open a criminal investigation into 16 Republicans.

In seven battleground states, including Michigan, Trump supporters signed certificates falsely saying he won their states, not Biden.

The fake certificates were ignored, but the attempt was subject to investigations, including the House committee that investigated the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.

False Electoral College certificates were also submitted declaring Trump the winner of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

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