Michigan mayor faces calls to resign at city meeting as constituents sound off on fake elector scheme

08 August 2023

Kent Vanderwood, the mayor of Wyoming, MI, on Monday fielded calls to resign as the city held its first City Commission meeting since Vanderwood and 15 others were charged with multiple felonies in connection to an alleged fake elector scheme intended to re-elect former President Donald Trump.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel last month announced a slew of charges against the 16 defendants, including conspiracy to commit forgery, forgery, conspiracy to commit election law forgery and election law forgery. Vanderwood was arraigned in court on Aug. 4.

As NBC 8 reports, “Vanderwood is among 16 people accused of meeting in December 2020 to sign a document saying they were Michigan’s electors and directing the state’s votes to former President Donald Trump.” The accused allegedly transmitted that document to the U.S. Senate and National Archives.

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“The false electors’ actions undermined the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections and, we believe, also plainly violated the laws by which we administer our elections in Michigan,” Nessel said in a statement announcing the charges.

Last week, Vanderwood’s attorney Brian Lennon called the charges “ completely off base” and promised his client will be “fully vindicated,” MLive reports. He also said his client would not be stepping down as Wisconsin mayor.

Per NBC 8, commentators at the City Commission meeting on Monday were split on whether Vanderwood should remain in office.

READ MORE: Michigan AG indicts 16 people in Trump fake electors plot

“ His name is on the paper,” one commenter said. “You cannot deny that. This is a stain on this city, a stain on our state, and we must get back to some type of decency and civility in our government. It resulted in an insurrection against our government. Five people lost their lives due to this action that is perpetrated against this country. Our mayor has to be held accountable for his part in that. Each of us must be accountable for our silence in that. I ask this mayor to resign.”

In a letter, an avodcacy group called The Democracy Coalition urged Vanderwood to resign to “reinforce public trust” and demonstrate “a commitment to addressing this issue transparently.”

“While we recognize the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the pending criminal charges are extremely serious,” the group wrote. “We firmly believe that it is in the best interest of the city you serve for Mr. Vanderwood to resign from his position.”

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Still, other constituents spoke in support of Vanderwood at the meeting.

“We have a right to an alternate elector when there is a question about the elector,” Phillip Smith argued during the meeting.

One commenter called Vanderwood “if a man of integrity” who “ loves the Lord” and the Constitution.

“For the attorney general to come out with charges three years after in a seemingly pointed fishing expedition against those who might have a difficult viewpoint needs to be thought through,” that commenter claimed.

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