Michigan Judge Throws Out Felony Charges Over Voter Data Leak, Undermining Election Fraud Witch Hunt

In a significant rebuke of overzealous prosecution tied to election denialism, a Michigan judge has tossed felony charges against former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott and Republican lawyer Stefanie Lambert. Both faced serious allegations for allegedly providing sensitive voter information to an out-of-state analyst probing unfounded claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Hillsdale County Circuit Court Judge Sara Lisznyai ruled that the voter data in question—which included birth dates and driver’s license numbers—was not subject to confidentiality under Michigan’s election laws. Instead, the law only exempts such information from public records disclosure, a distinction that fatally undercut the state’s case. “No additional requirement for nondisclosure or confidentiality is stated and none is found,” Lisznyai wrote in her eight-page decision.

The dismissal wiped out all four felony counts against Scott and three against Lambert, including the most serious charge of using a computer to commit a crime, which carried up to seven years in prison. The charges stemmed from allegations that Scott and Lambert collaborated to send Adams Township’s electronic poll book data to Ben Cotton, an analyst investigating false fraud claims.

Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office, which brought the case, had accused the pair of “deliberate violation of voter privacy to push a false agenda and spew misinformation.” Yet Scott’s lawyer called the ruling “a complete vindication,” condemning the prosecution as an unprecedented weaponization of criminal statutes against a local official simply performing her duties.

Scott was recalled from office in 2023 amid the controversy and still faces a misdemeanor charge related to defying a Secretary of State order. Lambert, who became a prominent figure challenging Michigan’s 2020 results on behalf of Trump’s false stolen election narrative, faces separate charges in Oakland County tied to an alleged scheme to access voting tabulators. She has pleaded not guilty and accused Nessel of targeting whistleblowers to silence election workers.

This case highlights a disturbing pattern: state officials using vague or misapplied laws to intimidate and criminalize those involved in election administration, especially when they become entangled in the web of disinformation surrounding 2020. While courts continue to push back on these abuses, the damage to public trust and democratic integrity lingers.

As the fight over election truth and accountability rages on, this ruling serves as a critical reminder that legal boundaries and protections must be upheld, even amid political pressure to punish dissenting voices. The rule of law demands no less.