MICHIGAN — Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf has filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Dana Nessel, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Michigan State Police and others alleging that they've interfered in his investigation into allegations of voter fraud.
The lawsuit, filed Friday with the Law Offices of Stephanie Lambert PLLC in Detroit, states that both Nessel and Benson have shown “inherent bias against any fraud claims or suspected criminal acts committed in relation to the investigation of rampant voter fraud that occurred during the November 2020 election, including the suspected hacking and manipulation of voting machines (finally acknowledged by the media)”
He also accuses both state officials of showing “mockery and disdain” of the sheriff multiple times on Twitter.
Sheriff Leaf gained national attention back in 2020 when he publicly opposed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders due to COVID, even attending a rally alongside men later accused of plotting to kidnap the governor.
In the lawsuit, he alleged that Michigan State Police troopers Bryan Fuller and David Geyer worked for or conspired with Nessel and Benson, and “members of an undisclosed government agency,” to ultimately obstruct justice.
The lawsuit states:
“Defendants acts included but are not limited to threatening, harassing, and interfering with witnesses, local government officials (including township clerks), deputies, agents, and experts, and interfering with, obstructing, and otherwise defiling investigative works and the results of such works; confiscating and/or destroying confidential files and information pertaining to an ongoing investigation; unconstitutionally and unlawfully (and without the proper procedure) usurping Plaintiff’s law enforcement functions and authorities, which are exclusively reserved to him under Michigan common law and statutory law; stepping in to quell an ongoing legitimate investigation, confiscating confidential files and documents related thereto; obstructing, harassing, and/or threatening his deputies and agents conducting the law enforcement function on his behalf as they are allowed to do exclusively and with immunity under Michigan law, confiscating voting equipment and information and data that is required by federal law to be protected and preserved.”
Sheriff Leaf requests in the lawsuit that a judge intervene to stop the interference and that the materials confiscated be returned.
FOX 17 reached out to the Secretary of State’s Office and they issued this statement on Monday afternoon:
“Secretary Benson asked the Attorney General to investigate all attempts to illegally gain access to election equipment in Michigan to determine if the equipment can be used in subsequent elections and identify bad actors who have violated the public’s trust. No one is above the law and those found to have broken it will be charged and prosecuted.”
Sheriff Leaf and the AG’s office declined FOX 17's interview requests.
