(WWJ) Were some Michiganders tricked into signing petitions to strip Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of her emergency powers?
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is opening an investigation into the group "Unlock Michigan" following allegations that members may have engaged in criminal activity in collecting petition signatures to repeal the 1945 Emergency Powers of the Governor Act.
The Attorney General’s office says it's received complaints from residents who report they were deceived by petition circulators who were gathering signatures to support the efforts of Unlock Michigan.
Residents said they were told the petitions they were asked to sign were to support LGBTQ rights, for medical marijuana initiatives or to help small businesses, among other things.
Nessel's office says recent media reports have also revealed secretly recordings that suggest at least one Unlock Michigan official trained petition circulators to use deceptive and potentially illegal tactics to gain signatures for the ballot initiative.
The AG has also received a letter from the League of Women Voters and another from election law attorney, John Pirich, calling for an investigation into Unlock Michigan’s signature-collecting efforts.
“Our democracy is firmly rooted in the principles of an informed electorate which makes decisions at the polls based on reason and beliefs over lies and deception,” Nessel said. “Our ballot initiative process allows efforts with strong public support to be presented to the Legislature. But that process becomes tainted when petition circulators manipulate and cheat to serve their own agendas. My office will investigate these allegations, and if there is a violation of law, we will prosecute those responsible.”
No charged have been filed against anyone associated with Unlock Michigan, as the investigation continues.
WWJ Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick reports Unlock Michigan has said it has fired the people who were involved in the alleged wrongdoing.
"But now the AG is looking into criminal wrongdoing that could tie this thing up in the courts, so who knows?" Skubick said.
This news comes just a few days after the group said it had collected more than the number of signatures needed to end Michigan's "endless lockdown." Unlock Michigan is expected to file the signatures this Friday.
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