Monica Palmer Says She Received a Phone Call From President Donald Trump

Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, William Hartman and Monica Palmer, continue to receive criticism after temporarily deadlocking an election certification vote last week. 

Both Hartman and Palmer initially casted “no” votes, but later changed course and voted to certify the ballots following public outcry, calling for Secretary Benson to audit the election. A day later, the Republican canvassers signed affidavits saying they wanted to rescind their votes to certify the election.

“I received a call from the president. It was after the meeting and he thanked me for my service.” — Monica Palmer, Wayne County Board of Canvassers

Officials have said about 400 of the more than 300,000 votes cast in Wayne County did not add up. While addressing the media in Southfield, Palmer says it doesn’t matter to her that those votes weren’t enough to change the outcome of the presidential election.

“It may be accumulative of only 400 votes,” says Palmer, “but tell that to a city councilman, or whatever race they have in Livonia that’s very close. If half of those precincts can’t be recounted, doesn’t that matter for him?”

During the election hearing on Tuesday, Palmer did propose certifying the results for the rest of Wayne County but excluding the city of Detroit. She says that statement is being taken out of its intended context.

Palmer says she did receive a phone call from President Donald Trump shortly after the meeting ended. She says she took that call while walking to her car with Hartman.

“I got in my car because it was cold,” Palmer explains. “Member Hartman joined me – I received a call from the president.  It was after the meeting and he thanked me for my service, asked me how I was doing. There was a genuine concern for my safety.”

Palmer says the call had no impact on her attempt to change her vote more than a day later, in an effort to keep Wayne County’s ballots from being certified. There is no legal process for reversing a certification vote.