Charges Against Trump Allies in Michigan
- Matthew DePerno and Daire Rendon, allies of ex-President Donald Trump, have been indicted on felony charges concerning voting machines and illegal “examinations” post the 2020 election.
- DePerno, endorsed by Trump during his unsuccessful campaign for Michigan’s Attorney General position, is facing charges of unlawful ownership of a voting machine and conspiracy. Rendon, a former Republican state representative, is being charged with the same conspiracy and false pretenses.
- These charges were authorized by an autonomous citizens grand jury and the defendants had their initial appearance on Tuesday afternoon.
The Tabulator Tampering Investigation
- The charges stem from a ‘tabulator tampering investigation’ initiated a year prior when incumbent Michigan AG Dana Nessel’s office requested a special prosecutor.
- The charges were delayed due to prosecutors seeking judicial clarification on what constitutes illegal ownership of a voting machine. A state judge recently ruled it a felony to take a machine without a court order or explicit permission from the Secretary of State’s office.
Additional Legal Actions in Michigan
- These charges emerged on the same day Trump was indicted for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. as part of his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump is also being investigated in Georgia for election interference.
- In another investigation, Nessel announced criminal charges against 16 Republicans last month, alleging they submitted false certificates as electors for Trump in Michigan, a state won by Joe Biden. These charges include forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery.
