GOP report recommends criminal investigation in election conspiracy theories

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Republicans in the state senate now say there was no evidence of widespread systemic fraud in Michigan’s 2020 presidential election.

The Senate Oversight Committee said people should be confident the outcome represents the true results, but the committee is still recommending changes it thinks will improve Michigan’s election system.

The election has been under the microscope since the November vote, partially because of baseless conspiracy theories of fraud.

Many of those theories were based on Antrim County where a computer program wasn’t updated, which initially shifted results showing President Biden was leading the heavily Republican county.

The error was corrected before the results were certified.

The Senate Oversight Committee report, written by chairman Sen. Ed McBoom, recommends Attorney General Dana Nessel consider investigating people who have made false allegations about results in Antrim County.

Sen. Jeff Irwin, the only Democrat on the committee, said he was surprised his colleagues made that recommendation.

“The went so far to say some of these individuals who are continuing to perpetuate these false claims are are doing so despite rock solid evidence they know they are lying about it,” said Sen. Irwin.

In January, 11 state senators questioned Michigan’s results in a letter to congress, asking federal officials to investigate Michigan’s elections.

Two of those senators approved the report that stated there was no election fraud Wednesday.

News 10 Sen. Irwin if state lawmakers who supported claims of election fraud should now be investigated.

“Anyone who is going to over turn the results of the election in favor of a result they would’ve preferred is engaging in un-American and solicitous activity,” said Sen. Irwin.

A spokeswoman for Attorney General Dana Nessel told News 10 her office will review the report to see if a criminal investigation is needed.

The report recommends several changes to Michigan’s election process, including outlining the role of challengers and poll watchers, allowing absentee ballots to be processed and counted before election day and giving clerks more authority to take dead people off the voter rolls.

You can read the full report online.

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