(Source: MIRS.news, Published 11/7/2022) Wayne County's chief circuit judge on Monday rejected Republican Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo's efforts to make Detroiters vote in person or acquire their ballots in person at a clerk's office.
Judge Timothy Kenny said the plaintiffs' 12 allegations are "unsubstantiated and/or misinterpret Michigan election law," and although the plaintiffs no longer seek relief regarding Tuesday's election, they offered no basis to extend relief to subsequent elections.
"While it is easy to hurl accusations of violations of law and corruption, it is another matter to come forward and produce the evidence our Constitution and law require," he wrote. “Plaintiffs failed, in a full-day evidentiary hearing, to produce any shred of evidence. …”
"Plaintiffs have raised a false flag of election law violations and corruption concerning Detroit's procedures for the Nov. 8 election," Kenny noted. "This Court's ruling takes down that flag."
The plaintiffs alleged, in part, that Detroit absentee ballots can be manipulated, but the city's attorney said the plaintiffs offered no proof of corruption or violation of state law.
Karamo's Petoskey attorney, Daniel Hartman, yelled at the judge during a hearing last week and told the judge that his clients are Detroit residents. The complaint, however, lists only one Detroiter – Patricia Farmer.
At one point in the hearing, Hartman also invoked the widely debunked "2,000 Mules" film.
Hartman tried to question security surrounding drop boxes, but Kenny prevented those questions.
Plaintiffs' co-counsel Alexandria Taylor, of Detroit, told the judge Friday that her clients wanted to "make clear that we are not seeking to disenfranchise the voters of the city of Detroit."
But, Kenny clearly didn't buy it, writing: "The preliminary injunction would serve to disenfranchise tens of thousands of eligible voters in the city of Detroit." He also noted that plaintiffs' failure to produce evidence "demonizes the Detroit city clerk, her office staff, and the 1,200 volunteers working this election."
Taylor also told the judge that she would put the plaintiffs' request in a post-hearing brief when he asked her what plaintiffs wanted.
Initially, the plaintiffs sought an injunction mandating Detroiters vote in-person or receive an absentee ballot in-person, but on Friday they revised their request and sought to stop various alleged violations after the Tuesday election.
As of Friday, 60,000 absentee votes had been received.
Attorney General Dana Nessel filed an amicus brief on Friday supporting Detroit's position, saying Karamo's suit was nothing more than an attempt to spread misinformation before Tuesday's midterms.
In a statement, Nessel said Kenny's order "allows the city of Detroit to move forward with its normal process and rejects the baseless assertions of this frivolous lawsuit filed simply to spread misinformation."
