Michigan politicians charged with felonies for tampering with voting machines News
Joebeone, CC-BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Michigan politicians charged with felonies for tampering with voting machines

Former Republican State Representative Daire Rendon and former Trump-backed Michigan attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno were charged Tuesday over efforts to access and tamper with voting machines in Michigan following the 2020 US presidential election. Both politicians were arraigned in Oakland County’s Sixth Circuit Court.

The charges arise from an ongoing investigation into attempts by supporters of Former President Donald Trump to breach voting machines. Rendon faces two charges, including conspiracy to commit undue possession of a voting machine and false pretenses. DePerno faces four charges, including undue possession of a voting machine, conspiracy to commit undue possession of a voting machine, conspiracy to commit unauthorized access to a computer system, and willfully damaging a voting machine.

According to special prosecutor DJ Hilson:

The charging decision was the result of a thorough decision-making process by an independent citizen’s grand jury … Although our office made no recommendations to the grand jury as to whether an indictment should be issued or not, we support the grand jury’s decision and we will prosecute each of the cases as they have directed in the sole interests of justice.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, whose office launched this investigation, said in a statement:

These allegations are incredibly serious and unprecedented. The 2024 presidential election will soon be upon us. The lies espoused by attorneys involved in this matter, and those who worked in concert with them across the nation, wreaked havoc and sowed distrust within our democratic institutions and processes. We hope for swift justice in the courts, and that the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission takes a sincere and sober assessment of the actions of the attorneys involved in the campaign of circulating disinformation about our elections and any related criminal activities.

Michigan is not the only state to investigate suspected election interference. In March 2022, a Colorado county clerk was indicted for tampering with election information. In January 2022, Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis requested the impanelment of a special grant jury to investigate attempts to disrupt the administration of the 2020 election in that state. It is expected that Willis will soon announce an indictment against Trump related to this investigation.

THIS DAY @ LAW

President Harding signed "anti-beer bill"

On November 23, 1921, President Warren G. Harding signed the Willis-Campbell Act, popularly termed the "anti-beer bill," prohibiting doctors from prescribing beer or liquor for medicinal purposes.

Convention on Cybercrimes opens for signature

On November 23, 2001, the Convention on Cybercrime was opened for signature in Budapest, Hungary, before entering into force on July 1, 2004. The Convention seeks to coordinate the Internet laws of signatory states and promote international enforcement of cybercrime laws. Learn more about the Convention on Cybercrime from the Council of Europe.