The Trump-backed Republican attorney general candidate in Michigan now has a special prosecutor on his ass. D.J. Hilson, the prosecutor for Muskegon County, will determine whether charges should be brought against attorney Matthew DePerno and eight others who allegedly breached the security of voting machines in 2021 in their “investigation” into supposed fraudulent vote counting in the 2020 election.
The nine allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to gain physical access to vote tabulation machines and voting equipment. For the past month, the Michigan State Police and Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office have been investigating the breach. Nessel sought the appointment of a special prosecutor on Aug. 5, since it would be “an inherent conflict of interest” for her given that DePerno is running against her.
“Prosecutor Hilson will review the investigation and information for possible charges. At this time, no charges have been filed against any of the possible defendants,” a statement from the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council said following his appointment. In addition to DePerno, state Rep. Daire Rendon and Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf are included in the potential conspiracy.
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According to the Nessel’s’ office, the potential charges include—“but are not limited to”—conspiracy, willful damage of a voting machine, use of a computer system to commit a crime, malicious property destruction, and fraudulent access to a computer or a computer system. On top of all that, they could be charged with access these systems under false pretenses.
Documents from the attorney general’s office indicate that DePerno’s group, the “Antrim County Election Lawsuit and Investigation Team,” took five vote tabulators from Roscommon and Missaukee counties in northern Michigan, and Barry County in western Michigan. The attorney general investigators determined that the group broke into the tabulators and to perform voting “tests” on the equipment.
“It was determined during the investigation that DePerno was present at a hotel room during such ‘testing,’” a petition to the prosecutors’ council said.
DePerno would fit right in with Republican attorneys general. After all, the dark money arm of the Republican Association of Attorneys General helped organize the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, sending out a robocall the night before telling activists that they would be marching on the Capitol to “stop the steal.”
That’s precisely why we have to stop him from getting that office. Daily Kos has endorsed a slate of Democrats running for attorney general in five swing states, including protecting incumbent Dana Nessel. It’s vitally important to our democracy—and to protecting the 2024 election—that these key offices are in Democrats’ hands.
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