Lawrence Not Hiding From 13-Year-Old Felony Case

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/11/2026) William Lawrence, the new Democrats' 7th Congressional nominee, has a felony on this record stemming from a 2013 protest at an Enbridge Energy pipeline work site. And he hasn't shied away from talking about it.

In an Instagram post, Lawrence described how, when he was 22, he locked himself to some construction equipment and refused to leave. Police ultimately cut his bonds and he was charged with resisting and obstructing police, which is a felony. He ultimately received fines and probation. The conviction has since been expunged.

William Michael Lawrence, who wants Michigan’s 7th Congressional District seat in November, said he was 22 when he took a stand against Enbridge Energy by locking himself to their equipment. (Screenshot from Instagram post)

William Michael Lawrence, who wants Michigan’s 7th Congressional District seat in November, said he was 22 when he took a stand against Enbridge Energy by locking himself to their equipment. (Screenshot from Instagram post)

“Was it righteous? Absolutely,” he said in a video posted to Instagram. “Was it wise? Perhaps not.”

Lawrence, who will be facing U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) in a nationally watched congressional race, was one of 11 protesters arrested in July 2013 at the site of a pipeline protest at Grimes and Dexter Trail roads near Stockbridge.

At the time, Enbridge Energy was increasing the capacity of the 6B pipeline, which had ruptured near Marshall in July 2010.

Asked about the incident, the Lawrence campaign provided the following response from the candidate:

“After the catastrophic 2010 Enbridge oil spill that devastated Michigan’s Kalamazoo River and nearby communities, I participated in a peaceful protest to protect Michigan’s water against this foreign corporation. I’ve spent my life fighting for Michigan’s water and people and standing up to big corporations, and that’s what I’ll do in Congress.”

In his Instagram post, Lawrence described his actions as participating in “civil disobedience by locking myself to their construction equipment and refusing to leave.”

A sergeant with the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office advised the protestors that if they did not cut themselves free, they could face resisting and obstructing charges, and she asked, “Are you guys willing to let go and peacefully let go, or do you need to be cut out?”

Lawrence replied: “I’m staying.”

The protesters were then cut loose, including Lawrence. He was charged with a felony and a misdemeanor for trespassing. Seven other protesters were charged with trespassing, according to media reports at the time.

Lawrence pleaded guilty to the felony and the misdemeanor was dismissed.

His campaign described it as a “peaceful protest” and the plea as a “practical decision” that was the “straightforward path to resolving it and moving forward in the shared cause of protecting Michigan’s water.”

Three others with Lawrence that day were convicted as charged by an Ingham County jury in January 2014 and were subsequently sentenced to county jail and probation.

In December 2015, a split Michigan Court of Appeals panel affirmed the trio’s convictions, holding Enbridge had authority to forbid the protesters’ entry onto the property because the easement given to Enbridge provided broad control over the property.

The majority also held that the officer’s comments to the protesters were a lawful command, but then-Appeals Judge Douglas Shapiro disagreed.

"Defendants' behavior may have been unnecessarily provocative and worthy of disapproval. However, the behavior of these particular defendants should not lead us to blur the critical line between a police request and a police command," he wrote. "That line is essential to the rule of law and the bedrock freedoms of our country."

In 2017, the appeals panel again affirmed the convictions on remand from the Michigan Supreme Court.

“We wanted to stop the pipeline, but we didn’t get the job done,” Lawrence said in his Instagram post. “So I wouldn’t advise that you do what I did, but my conviction remains and you can always count on me to fight for pure Michigan and our water.”

Editor's Note: This story was updated on Aug. 12 to correct the information related to expungement.