Judge delays hearing for former GOP co

Lansing — An evidentiary hearing for former Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock in the fake 2020 electors case was pushed back by two months in order to provide her lawyer time to review "voluminous" discovery in a case charging her with eight felonies.

Maddock is accused of signing on to a slate of GOP electors who falsely maintained former President Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election in a bid to overturn Trump's 154,000-vote loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Ingham County District Judge Kristen Simmons moved the preliminary examinations of Maddock and co-defendant Mari-Ann Henry to Oct. 12 to allow their lawyer time to review the evidence in the case. A preliminary exam is an evidentiary hearing in which the prosecution presents some evidence to prove there is probable cause for the case to move to trial in circuit court.

Assistant Attorney General LaDonna Logan told the judge it's likely the cases of the 16 electors will be consolidated, though it's unlikely all 16 will be able to participate in the same preliminary examination.

Logan said the evidence for discovery in the case is "quite voluminous."

Simmons also approved out-of-state travel for Maddock in August for an Orlando convention and Henry in September to go to Oregon. Bond conditions for both women prohibit out-of-state travel unless approved by the judge.

Henry's attorney on Thursday said Henry is a wife, mother and grand mother and "pillar of the community."

"The government's claim that she attempted to subvert the will of the voters and undermine an election is spurious and unsupported by the facts," said George MacAvoy Brown, an attorney with Southfield-based Lewis and Dickstein.

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Maddock is being represented by Nick Somberg, an attorney active in anti-lock down cases and protests during the COVID-19 pandemic. Somberg also represented Joseph Morrison, a member of the Wolverine Watchmen who was convicted of providing material support to a terrorist, being a member of a gang and a felony weapons charge in relation to the attempted kidnapping of Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Other defendants in the case have similarly lawyered up with attorneys well known in Lansing politics.

Hank Choate, a 72-year-old farmer from Cement City, hired conservative attorney David Kallman, who worked on several anti-lockdown suits during the pandemic.

John Haggard, an 82-year-old Charlevoix businessman, hired lawyer Mary Chartier, who is currently representing former House Speaker Lee Chatfield in an investigation led by the attorney general's office.

Kent Vanderwood, the 69-year-old mayor of Wyoming, a suburb of Grand Rapids, has hired criminal defense attorney Brian Lennon, who successfully defended former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder against charges arising from the Flint water crisis.

Lennon issued a statement saying Vanderwood, who was arraigned Friday, has no intention of resigning his role as mayor Wyoming and expects to be vindicated in the case.

"Mr. Vanderwood had no intent to defraud anyone or any organization when he signed the Certificate of Votes of the 2020 Electors from Michigan during the time when lawsuits challenging the 2020 presidential election were pending in Michigan," Lennon said.

The majority of the defendants in the case have not yet been arraigned but are scheduled to do so on Aug. 10.

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