Headline: Michigan Republicans took in thousands from fake electors facing felony charges
Highly vulnerable House Republican John James (MI-10) and MAGA candidate Tom Barrett (MI-07) are caught up in their own scandal after taking thousands of dollars in donations from the Michigan fake electors facing eight felony charges.
Of the sixteen fake electors who tried to pull off the scheme, five made donations to James’ and Barrett’s campaigns, two contributions as recently as last summer.
Despite being pushed to do so, Barrett and James have yet to return the donations from extremists who tried to steal the election.
Former GOP state Sen. Tom Barrett accepted a $500 donation from Mari-Ann Henry when he was running for the U.S. House of Representatives last cycle. Henry contributed to one of the most expensive Republican losses of the 2022 midterms, where incumbent Democrat Elissa Slotkin defeated Barrett by just over 20,000 votes. Henry is the treasurer of the 7th Congressional District Republican Committee, whose website is promoting Barrett’s second run for the seat in 2024.
U.S. Rep. John James (R) has served in the U.S. House for just eight months, but he participated in two U.S. Senate races in 2018 and 2020 respectively. During his electoral campaigns, James received donations from five different fake electors including Henry, Republican national committeewoman Kathy Berden, dairy farmer Hank Choate, former 2016 Donald Trump elector John Haggard and Wyoming, Mich. Mayor Kent Vanderwood.
Some of these contributions even came after the fake elector scandal in 2020, where the 16 individuals allegedly forged official election documents in an effort to override the will of voters. Michigan election results from 2020 show that now-President Joe Biden carried the state over Trump by more than 150,000 votes. Nessel’s office says the 16 fake electors tried to pull off their scheme anyway, but now they face years in prison for their actions.
Also among the fake electors was Meshawn Maddock, who used to co-chair the Michigan Republican Party. She hosted a pool party at her home last Friday to raise money for lawyer fees that she and her co-conspirators will have to pay.
