Nessel’s office requests special prosecutor in election investigation

Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office is seeking the appointment of a special prosecutor to consider potential criminal charges against a group of nine individuals, including Matt DePerno, a candidate backed by Donald Trump for Michigan attorney general.

Nessel

Last week’s primary elections provide fresh evidence of Donald Trump’s continuing hold on his Republican base in the state. A last-minute Trump endorsement cemented Tudor Dixon as the GOP nominee for governor. West Michigan congressional candidate John Gibbs defeated U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, who had voted to impeach the former president.

But one candidate backed by the former president could face possible legal action.

Earlier in the year, state Republican convention delegates supported Trump’s picks for Secretary of State and Attorney General, both of whom echo the false claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. The GOP officially nominates them later this month.

At this weekend’s Conservative Political Action Conference in Texas, Trump again praised Attorney General candidate Matt DePerno. On Sunday, The Detroit News reported after a months-long investigation, Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office is seeking the appointment of a special prosecutor to consider potential criminal charges against a group of nine individuals, including DePerno. The group allegedly engaged in a “conspiracy” to gain improper access to voting machines.

“He is so tough, people are afraid to even be in the same room with him. Attorney General, he’s gonna make sure that you’re gonna have law and order and fair elections and so many other things,” Trump said.

On Feb. 10, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson sent a request to the Department of Attorney General and the Michigan State Police to investigate third-party access to vote tabulators in Lake City Township, Irving Township, Richfield Township and Roscommon County.

The attorney general’s office identified a potential conflict in the case and submitted a petition to the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council for the appointment of a special prosecutor.

DePerno will likely face Nessel in the Nov. 8 general election. Speaking on “Michigan’s Big Show” Monday, DePerno said the allegations were “total garbage.”

Dixon makes her case

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon speaks at a primary election party in Grand Rapids, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022. Photo credit: Paul Sancya/AP

Tudor Dixon, Michigan’s Republican nominee for governor, laid out her case for the office at CPAC.

And Dixon immediately trained her sights on her rival in November’s general election — Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

“She’s been ridin’ with Biden … and they’ve been driving our state off a cliff,” Dixon said. “In Michigan our economy has tanked. Jobs, companies, families have fled our state and people struggle to pay their bills.”

Democratic spokespeople responding to Dixon’s speech argue Whitmer is infusing funding into education and infrastructure and claim the GOP nominee will support banning abortion in Michigan.

Dixon has said she would make an exception to save the life of a mother.

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Author

  • Quinn Klinefelter
    Quinn Klinefelter is a Senior News Editor at 101.9 WDET. In 1996, he was literally on top of the news when he interviewed then-Senator Bob Dole about his presidential campaign and stepped on his feet.