Threats Force Capitol Shutdown as Michigan Electors Meet

All state House and Senate offices will be closed today, as electors gather to cast their presidential votes.

The Michigan electoral college ballots will be cast at 2:00 this afternoon, in the Senate chamber in the state capitol building. Other than that, the capitol will be off-limits to the public.

The shutdown is a security issue. Yesterday, reports of threats against the electors surfaced. Democratic State Representative Kevin Hertel of St. Clair Shores tweeted that “credible threats have been made.” Speaking for Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, Amber McCann confirmed that the closure is based on “credible threats of violence.” 

The 16 electors are required by law to cast their ballots for Democrat Joe Biden, who won the Michigan election by more than 150,000 votes.

Even as the electors prepare to meet, supporters of President Donald Trump continue their legal effort to overturn the election results.

Attorney Sidney Powell has asked the United States Supreme Court for an emergency hearing on a case she brought on behalf of six Michigan residents, alleging fraud.

Powell is the lawyer who was thrown off the Trump campaign’s legal team because of her unfounded conspiracy theories.

Her Michigan lawsuit was dismissed last week by U.S. District Court Judge Linda Parker, who wrote that it seemed designed mostly to damage the trust people have in the democratic process.

This is the same suit in which one of her expert witnesses signed an affidavit that fraud was observed in the ballot counting in “Edison County.” Michigan does not have an Edison County. 

On Friday, the lawsuit brought by the State of Texas against Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia was summarily rejected by the United States Supreme Court.

The suit, which had been endorsed by U.S. Representative Jack Bergman and State Representative Greg Markkanen, sought to have all the votes cast in those four states thrown out.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said the decision was “an important reminder that we are a nation of laws, and though some may bend to the desire of a single individual, the courts will not.”