Michigan judge opens up potential charges against Trump supporters in ruling on voting machines
A county prosecutor had sought the decision as he considers whether to criminally charge a group of Trump supporters who allegedly obtained voting machines.
A judge ruled that Michigan law prohibits a person from possessing a voting tabulator without a court order or authorization from the Secretary of State's office in a decision that lays the groundwork for a county prosecutor to potentially bring criminal charges against supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Oakland County Circuit Judge Phyllis McMillen on Wednesday ruled that the "undue possession" of a tabulator is always a felony in Michigan, not just during an ongoing election or the timeframe before the results are tallied, The Detroit News reported.
Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Hilson had sought the decision as he considers whether to criminally charge a group of Trump supporters who allegedly obtained voting machines following the 2020 election.
Hilson's possible charges come after Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in August that nine people allegedly conspired to improperly gain access to election machines. The group convinced officials in three counties to give them five tabulators, which they then took to Oakland County hotels or rental properties, Nessel's office said.
The group "broke into the machines, printing fake ballots and performing tests on the equipment," the Detroit paper reported.
Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.