Michigan is taking a firm stance on protecting voting rights, pushing back against the Trump administration’s investigations and supervision of elections, which could lead to a significant legal showdown, potentially escalating to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Justice Department has asked for around 865,000 ballots and numerous election records related to the upcoming elections in the Detroit area. They’ve indicated that legal action may follow if these materials aren’t provided within two weeks.
In an April 14 letter directed to Wayne County Clerk Kathy Garrett, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon requested “all ballots (including absentee and provisional), ballot receipts, and ballot envelopes” for the federal election set for November 2024. This request arises from concerns about adherence to federal record-keeping laws and ongoing investigations into election law compliance.
Dhillon explained that this request stems from “a history of fraud convictions and other allegations” in Wayne County, and emphasized that not complying could lead to a court order obligating the production of these records.
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On a recent episode of Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Dhillon stressed the importance of election integrity. “Ensuring the integrity of our elections is a paramount duty,” she noted, adding that many states have not adequately cleared non-citizens and deceased voters from their rolls. Under her direction, the Civil Rights Division will persist in guaranteeing that only eligible citizens participate in elections.
She asserted that the investigation aims to hold accountable “the deep state’s outrageous weaponization” against Trump and his associates.
Near the time President Trump signed an order regarding voter databases, Democratic states were threatened with lawsuits.
This request aligns with a broader effort from the Trump administration to investigate election procedures in critical battleground states, following previous initiatives involving Georgia and Arizona’s ballots.
Michigan’s Democratic leaders have labeled the request as unfounded and politically driven. Attorney General Dana Nessel stated, “If this administration decides to cause chaos in our state, my office is prepared to defend voters’ rights.”
The Justice Department’s inquiry concerns ballots, ballot envelopes, and receipts from Wayne County, which encompasses Detroit.
Nessel argued in another communication that the request was misdirected, as the ballots are managed by city employees, not the Wayne County clerk. She pointed out that the request was based on three instances of alleged voter fraud and reiterated claims from a 2020 lawsuit against Detroit over absentee ballot handling, which was ultimately dismissed due to the lack of credible evidence.
Nessel characterized Dillon’s inquiry as a “fishing expedition” that extended too far into the state’s electoral history and mentioned that earlier findings of fraud were not widely reported. Moreover, any further investigative efforts would be viewed as “unreasonable interference” in Michigan’s elections, especially ahead of the upcoming primary election.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer condemned the request as an attempt to create further doubt and misinformation regarding election integrity. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson echoed similar sentiments, calling it another instance of the administration attempting to meddle in the electoral process.
During an interview, Dhillon claimed to have requested voter rolls from every state and noted that about one-third have complied or reached agreements with the Justice Department. She mentioned that they are moving forward with implementing the requested records.
Dillon is currently suing 29 states and the District of Columbia for not providing voter roll access under the Civil Rights Act of 1960, aimed at ensuring compliance across the board. She brought attention to the discovery of over 350,000 deceased individuals still listed on the voter rolls in cooperating states.
Adding to her points, she highlighted that approximately 25,000 individuals without proof of citizenship had been referred to the Department of Homeland Security for further examination regarding their voting eligibility. She expressed her continuous communication with voting rights advocates who are reporting cases of non-citizens casting ballots.
Moreover, Dillon mentioned a recent prosecution in Minnesota related to a non-citizen voting case, saying, “So the left told us this would never happen, and that’s a myth.”
She criticized Minnesota’s law permitting citizen vouching for each other’s citizenship as “insane” and contradictory to federal voting regulations, asserting, “We will not stop until this project is finalized.”
