LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's attorney general announced charges Wednesday against a former township clerk and a lawyer who had supported attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, alleging they accessed voting systems without authorization in a search of fraud.
Former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott and her attorney, Stefanie Lambert, were charged with multiple felonies, including unauthorized access to a computer and using a computer to commit a crime.
“When elected officials and their proxies use their positions to promote baseless conspiracies, show blatant disregard for voter privacy, and break the law in the process, it undermines the very essence of the democratic process,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “Those who engage in such reckless conduct must be held accountable for their actions.”
The charges are the latest to be brought against people in multiple states who had been entrusted to ensure the security of election systems but instead allowed others to breach them in a futile search for evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Multiple reviews, audits and recounts have affirmed Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump. Election clerks in Colorado and Georgia are among those who promoted conspiracy theories about voting machines and now face charges for allowing unauthorized access of voting systems.
Scott allegedly ignored instructions from the Michigan secretary of state to turn over her township's voting tabulator to an authorized vendor and withheld the tabulator until it was seized by Michigan State Police, according to the attorney general's statement. The statement also alleged that, under the direction of Scott, Lambert transmitted data from the township's poll book related to the 2020 election.
Biden won Michigan by nearly 155,000 votes over then-President Trump, a result confirmed by a GOP-led state Senate investigation in 2021.
Lambert’s attorney, Daniel Hartman, said in a statement that his client did not violate the law and that she “remains steadfast in her efforts to bring transparency to the people’s election data, processes and procedures.” Attempts to reach Scott or an attorney for her were not immediately successful.
In a separate case, Lambert has been charged with the felony of improperly accessing voting equipment and, in the past, has sued unsuccessfully to overturn Trump’s loss in Michigan.
Scott, who oversaw elections in a small conservative town, was recalled from her position in 2023.
When it came time to prepare for her township’s November 2021 election, Scott said she had accuracy concerns and had considered paper ballots and a hand count before settling on using the same system.
“Quite frankly, I was coming to a moral quandary of even running this election,” Scott told The Detroit News.
The state intervened after Scott allegedly refused to allow a contractor to perform preventive maintenance and failed to conduct accuracy tests, among other issues. She was barred from her duties in October 2021.
The Hillsdale County clerk’s office discovered that a tablet that contained important software and the operating system had been removed when it took custody of an election tabulator and a voter-assist terminal from township offices to prepare for a public accuracy test. It was later seized by Michigan State Police after Scott allegedly refused to turn it over.
FILE - This booking photo released by the Oakland County, Mich., Jail shows Stefanie Lambert. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced charges Wednesday, May 8, 2024, against former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott and her attorney, Lambert, who is pro-Trump, for allegedly allowing unauthorized access to a computer and its voter data in a search for fraud related to the 2020 election. (Oakland County Jail via AP, File)
FILE - Stefanie Lambert attends a rally for Republican candidates at the Macomb Community College Sports & Expo Center in Warren, Mich., Oct. 1, 2022. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced charges Wednesday, May 8, 2024, against former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott and her attorney, Lambert, who is pro-Trump, for allegedly allowing unauthorized access to a computer and its voter data in a search for fraud related to the 2020 election. (Todd McInturf/Detroit News via AP, File)
FILE - The Michigan State Police exit the Adams Township Hall after executing a search warrant, Oct. 29, 2021, in Hillsdale, Mich. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced charges Wednesday, May 8, 2024, against former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott and her attorney, Stefanie Lambert, who is pro-Trump, for allegedly allowing unauthorized access to a computer and its voter data in a search for fraud related to the 2020 election. (Corey Murray/Hillsdale Daily News via AP, File)
MIAMI (AP) — Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor each drove in two runs in a four-run first inning, star closer Edwin Díaz was not used in a save situation and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday for just their second win in seven games.
Brandon Nimmo homered and Francisco Lindor singled twice following a 1-for-27 skid as the Mets rebounded from blowing a four-run, ninth-inning lead on Saturday and avoided a three-game sweep. New York stopped Miami’s four-game winning streak.
“You’re not defined by what you do the day before. You’re defined by how you get up from adversity,” Lindor said. “We wanted this one for sure. I think it’s important to win after a tough loss like that.”
Sean Manaea (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Sean Reid-Foley and Jake Diekman pitched an inning each, and Reed Garrett got his second save by allowing one hit over two innings with four strikeouts in a 34-pitch outing.
Díaz has a 10.80 ERA over his last eight appearances after serving up four homers in 8 1/3 innings. He has blown three of his last four save chances.
“We all believe in him. We all know he’s going to be back,” Garrett said. “Whenever my name’s called, I’ll pitch, but I know as a collective unit we all believe in Edwin and we know what he can do.”
New York (21-25) had dropped five games under .500 on Saturday for the first time since an 0-5 start.
“Not an easy weekend, not the way we expected, but we just have to continue to move forward,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Today was a huge win for us.”
With New York ahead 4-3, Nimmo hit a two-run homer off Anthony Bender in a three-run ninth that included Brett Baty’s RBI single.
“I was just looking for a good pitch in the middle of the plate to drive,” Nimmo said. “I was able to hit that ball — good launch angle — and hit it hard. Found its way out of the ballpark.”
Nimmo returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games because of a stomach illness.
“I’m coming around,” Nimmo said. “It’s been a little bit of a journey the last three days to get over the sickness. Right now, I’m just trying to get some appetite back. I’m definitely not at 100%. Just trying to battle through it and glad that I was able to help out there at the end and solidify the win.”
Dane Myers hit a two-run homer in the second, and Christian Bethancourt had a solo drive in the seventh against DIekman.
Sixto Sánchez (0-2) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He gave up Taylor’s two-out double in the first and Bader’s single.
“He was obviously better second through the fourth inning but he put us in a hole early,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “At this level it’s hard to come back from four runs every single time. He’s not giving his teammates a chance to win.”
Miami recalled right-handed reliever Emmanuel Ramirez from Jacksonville and optioned right-handed reliever Anthony Maldonado to the Triple-A farm team.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: DH J.D. Martinez (flu symptoms) didn’t play but was available to pinch hit. Mendoza said Martinez played through the illness the prior two days.
Marlins: INF Tim Anderson (lower back tightness) homered and had three singles in five at-bats during a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday, then went 0 for 4 with a walk on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (0-1, 2.25) will start the opener of a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday. RHP Ben Lively (2-2, 3.06) will start for the Guardians.
Marlins: LHP Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.81) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Monday. The Brewers will go with RHP Joe Ross (2-4, 4.61).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Mets' Sean Manaea delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor (12) congratulate each other after they scored on a double by Tyrone Taylor, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader is unable to catch a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell for a double, during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins third base Emmanuel Rivera, right, tags out New York Mets' Harrison Bader as he slides into third base during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) catches a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell as both he and left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) vie for the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets relief pitcher Reed Garrett, right, and catcher Omar Narvaez celebrate after the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3, during a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
