A former Republican candidate for attorney general and a former state representative—both of whom supported former President Donald Trump—were criminally charged in Michigan for accessing and tampering with voting machines after the 2020 election, according to multiple reports.
Former Republican candidate for Attorney General Matthew DePerno claps during former President ... [+]
Republican Matthew DePerno, who ran for attorney general, and former Rep. Daire Rendon (R-Mich.) were arraigned Tuesday for their roles in relocating five voting machines to a hotel room before the machines were broken into and tested after the 2020 presidential election, according to documents the attorney general released last year; the documents said DePerno was present, AP reported.
The voting machines were taken and tested because the defendants and others—some of whom said they didn’t break the law because they had permission from local clerks to take the machines—sought to prove they were rigged against Trump, Bridge Michigan reported last month.
Last month, a state judge ruled that it’s a felony for anyone to take a voting machine without a court order or authorization from the Secretary of State’s office, clearing the way for a grand jury to issue indictments.
Both have been charged with “Conspiracy to Commit Undue Possession of a Voting Machine,” while Rendon faces one other felony charge and DePerno faces three other felony charges relating to voting machines.
These aren’t the first charges to come in Michigan around 2020 election interference. Two weeks ago, the Michigan attorney general also announced eight felony charges each—including forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery—against 16 Republicans who falsely portrayed themselves as electors in an attempt to overturn Trump’s loss in the state.
Charges around interference with the 2020 general election—or threats of them—have been coming in waves lately. Trump is being investigated in Georgia for his role in election interference. Trump and his allies across multiple states made a strong effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the months before President Joe Biden’s inauguration, including the Michigan attempts, an almost entirely unsuccessful legal campaign, the “fake electors” scheme and an effort to block Congress’ certification of the votes that ultimately led to the January 6 riot at the Capitol building. Trump also said recently he was notified he is the target of Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into January 6 and efforts to overturn results of the 2020 presidential election. Though no charges have been filed yet, Trump said Monday he expects them “any day now.”