Updates About People

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has asked the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordination Council for a special prosecuting attorney to review charges against nine individuals in an investigation into vote tabulators from the 2020 general election.

This investigation stems from a request by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson who, back in February, asked Nessel to investigate third-party access to vote tabulators. Individuals involved in this investigation were allegedly trying to provide evidence that then-President Donald Trump had the election stolen from him.

Notable individuals included in this investigation are Republican attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno, Representative Daire Rendon (R-Lake City), and Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf. Charges in this case include conspiracy, using a computer system to commit a crime, willfully damaging a voting machine, malicious destruction of property, fraudulent access to a computer, and false pretenses.

In the 34th House District, which encompasses Lenawee County, incumbent Senator Dale Zorn (R-Ida) is facing a recount against Madison Township Fire Chief Ryan Rank after results revealed that Rank lost the Republican primary by seven votes.

Zorn, who decided to run for the House seat as he would be term-limited in the Senate, won the primary with 4,774 votes. Rank received 4,767 votes.

The 77th House District also saw a close primary race, but between Democratic candidates. Emily Dievendorf won the primary with 4,547 votes, while Jon Horford received 4,522 votes – a 25-vote difference. Horford is not seeking a recount.

Michigan State Representative Jim Lilly (R-Park Township), who chairs the House Rules and Competitiveness Committee, announced he will be resigning from the legislature on July 1.

Rep. Lilly was offered a job to become the vice president of government affairs at SpartanNash, a food distributor and grocery store retailer. This makes Lilly the fifth House member to leave office during the current 2021-2022 term. This also marks the first time in 11 years that a House member will leave office early for a private sector career.

Lilly represents Michigan’s 89th House District which is on the west side of the state. He was serving his final term in the House and was not seeking a Senate run.