Established Fact
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel directed the Michigan State Police to investigate individuals who publicly alleged election fraud, focusing on citizens and activists who submitted affidavits or public testimony. She later indicted 16 alternate electors on felony charges, explicitly citing dissatisfaction with the speed of federal investigations as a reason to act. Charges against 15 defendants were dismissed by the 54-A District Court in September 2025 for insufficient evidence; Nessel declined to appeal in March 2026. The record shows no comparable prosecutorial energy directed at documented statutory violations by election officials (e.g., unlawful record-destruction directives), supporting an inference of viewpoint-based targeting.
Citations
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel Charges 16 “False Electors”: https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2023/07/18/michigan-attorney-general-dana-nessel-charges-16-false-electors | Michigan AG Press Release
Nessel launched investigations of citizens who made election fraud claims beginning in July 2021 (at recommendation of Republican-led Michigan Senate Oversight Committee). The 16 alternate elector charges were dismissed by Lansing District Court in September 2025 for insufficient evidence; Nessel declined to appeal in March 2026. See Nessel’s statement on no appeal: Michigan AG: No Appeal of District Court’s Failure to Bind Over 2020 False Electors (Mar. 2026).