An investigation led by Michigan Republican lawmakers found no evidence for former President Donald Trump’s and his allies’ claims that there was widespread fraud in the state’s election, The Detroit Free Press reports.
The Michigan Senate Oversight Committee, which is chaired by one of the top Republicans in the legislature, issued a report on Wednesday stating it found “no evidence of widespread or systemic fraud in Michigan's prosecution of the 2020 election.”
"Citizens should be confident the results represent the true results of the ballots cast by the people of Michigan,” the report said.
Trump had continued to harangue Republicans across the country for not pursuing his fictitious claims of fraud, writing last month that Michigan’s senators "should be run out of office" if they haven't "started their review of the Fraudulent Presidential Election of 2020."
But the committee began its review nearly eight months ago and the report was accepted by every Republican on the panel.
“Ludicrous” claims:
The report said the committee found no evidence of dead people voting, no evidence of “ballot dumps,” no evidence that any precincts had more than 100% voter turnout.
“The committee is appalled at what can only be deduced as a willful ignorance or avoidance of this proof perpetuated by some leading such speculation,” wrote Sen. Ed McBroom.
McBroom told Bridge Michigan that there is “good reason” those who pushed conspiracy theories about the election are "purposely defrauding people."
"The claims have become so ludicrous when compared to the actual facts,” he said. “And yet people persist.”
Michigan GOP pushes voting changes anyway:
Despite a lack of evidence, Michigan Republicans have introduced 39 bills that would create new voting restrictions in response to Trump’s false claims about the election.
Republicans have cited voter concerns ginned up by Trump as cause to “reform” elections or even run so-called forensic audits to review the results of the last election.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said it was “mind-boggling” that Republicans found no evidence of fraud but are pushing dozens of restrictive bills anyway.
"Whether you're happy with the outcome of the election or not, nobody should be happy with all of the turmoil and confusion and questions that came up afterwards," McBroom said, adding that calls for an audit are “not justifiable.”
