INSIDER
History 4 All: How modern efforts to restrict voting rights affect minority communities
Read full article: History 4 All: How modern efforts to restrict voting rights affect minority communitiesIn this segment of our History 4 All special, we’re discussing the modern day effort to restrict voting rights following the 2020 presidential election.
‘Zero credibility’ -- New report from Michigan GOP Senate members debunks claims of vote fraud
Read full article: ‘Zero credibility’ -- New report from Michigan GOP Senate members debunks claims of vote fraudThe investigation included 30 hours of public hearing, witness testimony from nearly 90 people, more than 400 pages of testimony and subpoenaed key documents from Secretary of State and municipal governments.
Michigan SOS: More than 250 audits confirm accuracy, integrity of state’s 2020 election
Read full article: Michigan SOS: More than 250 audits confirm accuracy, integrity of state’s 2020 electionFILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020 photo provided by the Michigan Office of the Governor, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson addresses the state in Lansing, Mich., accompanied by Gov. Further, auditors found that 83 percent of the counting boards were balanced or explained, up from 27 percent at the close of the county canvass. In Sterling Heights, 71 percent were balanced or explained, compared to 58 percent at the end of the canvass. Further, the Sterling Heights audit was the first absentee ballot counting board ever audited in the state. Such errors are often corrected or explained in the county canvass, but time constraints make that more difficult, especially in high-population jurisdictions.
Michigan AG officially requests sanctions against attorneys behind 2020 election lawsuits
Read full article: Michigan AG officially requests sanctions against attorneys behind 2020 election lawsuitsMichigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says U.S. election lawsuits alleging voter fraud, among other issues, have crossed the line -- and she’s calling for the attorneys behind them to be punished. AdBipartisan officials, election officials and even members of former President Trump’s administration found that there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Nessel had previously said she was looking into sanctions against attorneys in the broader election cases. AdRelated: Michigan AG Dana Nessel weighs in on election, Enbridge lawsuits and moreNow-President Joe Biden won the 2020 election with 306 electoral votes, beating Trump’s 232. AdMore: Michigan leaders move for sanctions against GOP attorneys in Trump election lawsuitsClick here to view the motion for sanctions filed on behalf of Whitmer and Benson on Thursday, or read it in the document below.
House Democrats prepared to defend Michigan election results in Congress
Read full article: House Democrats prepared to defend Michigan election results in CongressLANSING, Mich. – Michigan’s house Democrats said they plan to defend Michigan’s election results if there is an objection Wednesday in Congress. President-Elect Joe Biden, who won the Electoral College 306-232, is set to be inaugurated Jan. 20. WATCH: Congress holds Electoral College confirmation vote for BidenThe process is ceremonial and is typically a smooth and easy process. Some members of congress who may object were on the ballot in the same election,” said Michigan Rep. Dan Kildee. “As they continue to sow doubt in Michigan’s election results when it comes to the presidential election, they have no issue taking their own oath of office a few days ago.
Michigan GOP leader: No evidence of fraud that would change election outcome, ‘Biden, Harris won’
Read full article: Michigan GOP leader: No evidence of fraud that would change election outcome, ‘Biden, Harris won’LANSING, Mich. – Michigan’s top Republican says the state’s Senate oversight committee has not found evidence of fraud on a scale that would change the outcome of the 2020 election. Michigan Senate Leader Mike Shirkey said this in a statement Monday as the state’s electors are scheduled to gather to seal the Electoral College win for Joe Biden. More from Shirkey below:“Today Michigan’s electors convene, according to state law, to cast their votes for the next president and vice president of the United States. President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris won Michigan’s presidential election. And I intend to.”Related: Michigan Electors to be given police escort to Lansing Capitol Building for vote
Michigan AG on lawsuit seeking to overturn election: ‘This is how democracies die’
Read full article: Michigan AG on lawsuit seeking to overturn election: ‘This is how democracies die’Related: AG Barr: No evidence of voter fraud that’d change election outcome“This is how democracies die,” Nessel said Friday. “By virtue of these types of actions, which are unprecedented in American history.”Legal experts don’t believe the high court will hear the case. Despite that, four Michigan GOP congressmen have signed onto the case and 15 GOP state lawmakers. Nessel and the Attorney Generals of the other states have all filed briefs with the high court. Each member who signed their names on their respective briefs also won their own elections in 2020, which they are now asking to be invalidated.
Michigan AG responds to Texas lawsuit against state’s election process
Read full article: Michigan AG responds to Texas lawsuit against state’s election processMichigan’s election results faced another round of legal challenges in courts both big and small just four days before the Electoral College is slated to meet and finalize the 2020 election. In the U.S. Supreme Court, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel responded to the state of Texas, which is suing Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia -- three other key states that voted in favor of President-elect Joe Biden. Texas alleged that Michigan broke its own election laws to send absentee ballots to voters during a pandemic, and argued that the court should throw out millions of votes. More: Michigan AG: Texas AG Paxton’s election lawsuit is clear signal request for pardon by TrumpNessel said the claims in the lawsuit are “absurd” and already have been debunked in lower courts. The scheme has been floated and then called for by President Trump, his campaign and his legal team before and after the presidential election in an effort to overturn election results.
‘Did that happen? No.’ -- Detroit election official addresses fraud allegations
Read full article: ‘Did that happen? No.’ -- Detroit election official addresses fraud allegationsDetroit Election advisor Chris Thomas is an expert in Michigan’s elections. In 2020, he was an advisor for Detroit’s election and since Election Day, he’s been spending his time debunking claims of fraud. “That’s a marvelous thing.”He said the 2020 General Election votes are safe and the election is over. While no hard evidence has been discovered to support widespread voter fraud claims in the 2020 election, plenty of people have signed their name to sworn testimony. Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani has targeted Detroit in recent weeks, despite there being no evidence of fraud in the city.
Election lawsuits pending in Detroit days before Electoral College deadline
Read full article: Election lawsuits pending in Detroit days before Electoral College deadlineDETROIT – President Donald Trump is set to hold a rally Saturday in Georgia in support of Republicans in January’s Senate runoff elections. The Electoral College deadline is Tuesday and Detroit city officials are still fending off challenges in court. Officials with the city of Detroit issued a response that read in part, “Few lawsuits breathe more lies than this one. None of them have any academic acclaim,” said Detroit Election advisor Chris Thomas. Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani has targeted Detroit in recent weeks, despite there being no evidence of fraud in the city.
Evidence? Hearsay? Voter fraud claims in affidavits, explained
Read full article: Evidence? Hearsay? Voter fraud claims in affidavits, explainedDETROIT – While no hard evidence has been discovered to support widespread voter fraud claims in the 2020 election, plenty of people have signed their name to sworn testimony. Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani has targeted Detroit in recent weeks, despite there being no evidence of fraud in the city. Related: Michigan AG to GOP on voter fraud evidence: ‘Put up or shut up’An earlier lawsuit was dismissed by Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens who said the claims presented were hearsay. If there is none, which has been the case in Trump election lawsuits, the “finder of fact” could rule that there’s insufficient evidence to prove the plaintiffs’ claims. Related: The must-read deep dive into Michigan’s 2020 election, erroneous voter fraud claims
Michigan AG to GOP on voter fraud evidence: ‘Put up or shut up’
Read full article: Michigan AG to GOP on voter fraud evidence: ‘Put up or shut up’DETROIT – One day after Rudy Giuliani and several witnesses pushed voter fraud conspiracy theories before the Michigan House Oversight Committee, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says it’s time to “put up or shut up” in regards to offering actual evidence. Despite Republicans’ questioning of vote counting in the city, there is no evidence to show such a discrepancy. Michigan’s Attorney General, who has noted the fact that no evidence has been submitted to law enforcement to support any voter fraud claims, again called for Republicans to deliver the evidence -- or to stop making claims. — Dana Nessel (@dananessel) December 3, 2020In November, AG Nessel, responding to a wild claim by former state senator Patrick Colbeck, said Colbeck never filed any complaint of election fraud, despite claiming to have evidence. AG Barr: No evidence of voter fraud that’d change election outcome
Giuliani to Michigan Republicans: Pressure Legislature on Biden win
Read full article: Giuliani to Michigan Republicans: Pressure Legislature on Biden winGiuliani said the U.S. Constitution empowers legislatures to appoint electors directly, even though the Legislature long ago passed a law allotting them to the popular vote winner. Biden won the state by 2.8 percentage points. “They're the ones who should have the courage to step up,” Giuliani said of lawmakers during a virtual event hosted by the Michigan Republican Party. Giuliani made wild claims of “massive cheating,” particularly by Detroit Democrats, that he said resulted in 500,000 to 700,000 “illegal” votes. Biden won 240,936 votes to Trump's 12,889.
Rudy Giuliani to testify in Lansing with allegations of Michigan election fraud
Read full article: Rudy Giuliani to testify in Lansing with allegations of Michigan election fraudDETROIT – Some Michigan lawmakers will spend much of Wednesday holding a hearing about Detroit ballots, despite the fact that the state’s election results were certified. “I applaud the Michigan Senate for taking up such an important issue in today’s hearing. On Wednesday, the state house will hold a similar hearing at which President Donald Trump’s Attorney Rudy Giuliani will testify. Giuliani is flying into Michigan on Wednesday to testify before the Michigan House Oversight Committee. READ: ‘Watchers’ denied access to ballot counting at Detroit TCF Center due to COVID restrictionsREAD MORE: Michigan House Speaker says GOP will launch vote counting inquiry
Michigan Secretary of State rebukes president’s claims on Twitter
Read full article: Michigan Secretary of State rebukes president’s claims on TwitterDETROIT – President Donald Trump went after Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Twitter again with another false claim. Trump falsely claimed hundreds of thousands of votes were invalid and claimed he won Michigan and Pennsylvania. READ: What we know about GOP challenge to Michigan’s election results“Nobody wants to report that Pennsylvania and Michigan didn’t allow our Poll Watchers and/or Vote Observers to Watch or Observe,” the president tweeted Wednesday. In Pennsylvania, a lawyer confirmed Trump’s observers were allowed when he told a judge there were a “non-zero number” of poll watchers. The Trump campaign is suing Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson along with the Wayne County and the Michigan Board of Canvassers, which are in charge of reviewing elections.
Clinton Township voting error caused by Macomb County clerk, city clerk says
Read full article: Clinton Township voting error caused by Macomb County clerk, city clerk saysCLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The city clerk in Clinton Township is blaming Macomb County for 10 voters who cast ballots this year but died before the election. Michigan state law is clear. In Clinton Township, it turns out 10 people who cast their ballots but died before the election had their votes counted because the deaths weren’t reported. According to the city clerk Kim Meltzer, she was sent death certificates for those voters on Nov. 6 -- three days after the election. Meltzer, who did not respond to requests for an interview, is quoted in reports blaming the Macomb County clerk’s office, who chose to use the postal service to notify her office instead of using email.
Trust Index: Fact-checking claims regarding Michigan’s 2020 election
Read full article: Trust Index: Fact-checking claims regarding Michigan’s 2020 electionWere poll watchers kicked out of counting rooms? Poll watchers being kicked out of counting rooms is not true. According to Detroit’s election commissioner, there were more than the legal limit of watchers inside the TCF Center from both Democratic and Republican parties. Claims made in a similar way were dismissed as hearsay by a state judge in a lawsuit last week. There are also claims about poll workers behaving badly like the ones made in an 11-minute video circulating online and being promoted by state Republicans.