Michigan clerk faces 5 charges, including “concealing a voting machine,” in Trump election tampering probe

In a dramatic twist in Michigan’s ongoing investigation into election tampering, former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott finds herself at the center of a legal storm. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Wednesday that Scott, aged 52, is facing a slew of felony charges, including concealing a voting machine, unauthorized use of a computer, and misconduct in office. Additionally, Scott faces a misdemeanor charge for disobeying directives from the secretary of state, as reported via Reuters.

This latest development is part of a wider inquiry into efforts by supporters of former President Donald Trump to tamper with voting machines in a bid to substantiate his unfounded claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Prison sentence possible for Republican Scott

The gravity of the situation is underscored by the potential severity of the penalties. The most serious charge against Scott carries a potential seven-year prison term. Equally significant is the fact that Scott’s attorney, Stefanie Lambert, is also embroiled in the legal quagmire, with three additional felonies added to her existing charges over allegations of accessing and tampering with voting machines in other incidents across the state.

Scott, a member of the Republican Party, had been responsible for overseeing voting in rural Adams Township until her authority over elections was revoked by the state in 2021. This action was taken following her resistance to state orders mandating testing and maintenance on the voting tabulator under her purview. Scott’s refusal was grounded in her belief that such actions would erase evidence of potential fraud. She even went as far as withholding a critical component of the tabulator until it was seized by state police, according to law enforcement records.

However, Scott’s defiance didn’t stop there. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel accused both Scott and Lambert of providing unauthorized access to non-public voter information to a computer examiner, a violation of state law. Nessel condemned these actions, stating that such behavior undermines the democratic process itself.

Voter fraud links for Michigan clerk

This isn’t the first time Scott’s actions have come under scrutiny. Reuters reported in late 2022 on Scott’s sharing of a file containing confidential voter data with Benjamin Cotton, an information-technology expert with ties to voter-fraud conspiracists.

Scott’s actions, part of a nationwide effort, echo those of other officials like Tina Peters, the clerk in Mesa County, Colorado. Peters is set to stand trial this year over allegations of breaching secure equipment in her own elections office in 2021 in an attempt to uncover evidence of election fraud. Neither Scott nor Lambert has issued a statement in response to the charges. Lambert has previously denied any wrongdoing.