LANSING, MI — The Mayor of Wyoming remotely appeared in court Tuesday for his alleged role in the false electors scheme following the 2020 presidential election.
Mayor Vanderwood is one of 16 people charged by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel for falsely signing their names to multiple certificates stating they were the "duly elected and qualified electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America for the state of Michigan."
These documents were then transmitted to the U.S. Senate and National Archives in an alleged attempt to award the state's electoral votes to the candidate of their choosing, rather than the candidate who won.
Tuesday's hearing on the charges was immediately rescheduled by the judge. Judge Kristen Simmons told the 8 defendants she wants to allow the preliminary exam hearing for the other people charged to finish before starting the hearing for those who appeared on Tuesday.
The 54-A District Court is also scheduling a bigger courtroom to hold the hearings because of the number of defendants and attorneys. According to Judge Simmons, that is limiting the available dates.
Now Vanderwood and 7 others must wait until April 11 to appear back in court.
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Each of the defendants face eight charges. Here's a breakdown:
- 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Forgery, a 14-year felony
- 2 counts of Forgery, a 14-year felony
- 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Uttering and Publishing, a 14-year felony
- 1 count of Uttering and Publishing, a 14-year felony
- 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Election Law Forgery, a 5-year felony
- 2 counts of Election Law Forgery, a 5-year felony
Constituents of the city of Wyoming have been calling for Vanderwood to step down from his position since August, but the mayor's attorney has said he will not resign and looks forward to being vindicated in court.
The charged defendants are:
- Kathy Berden, 70, of Snover
- William (Hank) Choate, 72, of Cement City
- Amy Facchinello, 55, of Grand Blanc
- Clifford Frost, 75, of Warren
- Stanley Grot, 71, of Shelby Township
- John Haggard, 82, of Charlevoix
- Mary-Ann Henry, 65, of Brighton
- Timothy King, 56, of Ypsilanti
- Michele Lundgren, 73, of Detroit
- Meshawn Maddock, 55, of Milford
- James Renner, 76, of Lansing
- Mayra Rodriguez, 64, of Grosse Pointe Farms
- Rose Rook, 81, of Paw Paw
- Marian Sheridan, 69, of West Bloomfield
- Ken Thompson, 68, of Orleans
- Kent Vanderwood, 69, of Wyoming
