Pledge or PR Stunt? Michigan Democrats Talk Fairness, but Practice Lawfare

Yesterday, Democrat candidate for Attorney General Karen McDonald encouraged others running for the office to sign a pledge against political prosecution. McDonald calls it the “Michigan trumps politics pledge,” and says she was inspired by President Donald Trump.

Michigan’s current Attorney General, Democrat Dana Nessel, clearly never would have signed such a pledge 7 years ago. 

This week, Nessel bragged in a statement that Democrat lawyers have “filed over 440 lawsuits” against Donald Trump, and her office alone has sued the Trump administration more than 30 times this year. 

She also has a history of waging political lawfare against Republicans.

Shortly after taking office in 2019, Nessel charged a number of Republicans, including former Governor Rick Snyder, with felonies relating the Flint Water Crisis. Despite fighting for convictions for 7 years, all the charges were thrown out by a unanimous decision of the Democrat-led Michigan Supreme Court.

In the wake of the 2020 election, Nessel charged 15 Republicans with eight felony counts relating to a so-called “false elector scheme.” When a judge threw the case out in September, Nessel did not rule out an appeal and is “evaluating” that possibility.

Dana Nessel also brought charges against two Republican poll workers in St. Clair Shores after the state of Michigan’s election software made a mistake that allowed the workers to give two voters a second ballot. After the county prosecutor declined to bring charges, calling the double-vote an “honest mistake,” Nessel went ahead with the case herself and appealed when the case was thrown out. The workers are facing up to five years in prison.

Notably, when Democrat Secretary of State and candidate for governor Jocelyn Benson broke the law by hosting a campaign event in a state building, Nessel declined to bring charges. The attorney general openly admitted that Benson violated the campaign finance law, but, according to Nessel, it was just a mistake.

If Karen McDonald is serious about political prosecution, she should condemn Dana Nessel’s actions over the last 7 years. Anything else is just a clear signal that this pledge is nothing more than a stunt and another Democrat double-standard. 

“Dana Nessel’s 7 years in office have been an unending saga of political prosecutions,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “She has repeatedly and consistently used the power of her office to commit lawfare against Republicans, while letting Democrats off scot-free. Will Karen McDonald condemn Dana Nessel’s repeated lawfare against her political opponents?”