LANSING — Following the Trump DOJ’s baseless and desperate request for Wayne County to turn over its 2024 ballots, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel released the following statement:
“This baseless demand from the Trump DOJ is yet another egregious attack on Michigan’s election integrity. It also exposes Trump and the Michigan GOP’s desperation as they face the reality of losing in 2026 while Michiganders are struggling under skyrocketing costs because of the GOP’s toxic agenda.
“Trump has already threatened to take over Detroit’s elections while falsely claiming—without a shred of evidence—that Mike Rogers lost his 2024 election for U.S. Senate because of fraud, and Rogers has parroted these same conspiracy theories, falsely claiming that a single van full of ballots in Detroit ‘swung’ his race.
“The truth is clear: Trump, Rogers, and Michigan Republicans are terrified about their prospects in the midterms, so they’re pushing election conspiracy theories to sow doubt in our democratic process and discourage Michiganders from voting. Michigan Democrats will always fight to protect free and fair elections, and we look forward to winning in November.”
BACKGROUND
- None of the cases that the Trump DOJ’s letter highlighted as examples of fraud were from the 2024 election cycle.
- Donald Trump has falsely claimed, without evidence, that GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers’ 2024 election was “rigged” against him, and has threatened to take over Detroit’s elections.
- Rogers has falsely claimed, without evidence, that a single van carrying ballots in Detroit “swung” his 2024 race, which a top Michigan elections official said “might be more ridiculous than similar claims made after the 2020 presidential election.”
- Rogers has refused to provide evidence for his bogus election claims, despite repeated requests from The Detroit News, Gongwer, Michigan Advance, MLive, WLNS, and WOOD TV.
- Rogers has “surround[ed] himself with election deniers” and appointed senior leaders to his campaign who have “tried to overturn or delegitimize past election results,” including campaign co-chairs who been granted federal pardons by Trump for their “alleged role in the ‘false electors’ scheme” to overturn Michigan’s 2020 electoral votes.
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