Michigan AG Dana Nessel charges lawyer, former clerk for mishandling voter data

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced a new round of criminal charges Wednesday against lawyer Stefanie Lambert, alleging Lambert, who's worked to advance dubious election fraud claims nationally, and former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott allowed someone to access non-public voter information.

Nessel, a Democrat and the state's top law enforcement official, revealed the charges in a news release, which didn't detail specifically which pieces of data were allegedly made available to an unauthorized individual through what Nessel's office described as a "2020 election voter data breach."

Lambert, an attorney who was once involved in a suit to overturn Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 presidential victory in Michigan, illicitly transmitted data from the Adams Township electronic poll book "concerning the 2020 general election under the direction of Scott," the statement from the Attorney General's office said.

An electronic poll book would typically include personal identifying information about eligible voters in a specific precinct, likely including a person's name and address.

"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," Nessel said in a statement. "Those who engage in such reckless conduct must be held accountable for their actions.”

Lambert has gained prominence among and the financial backing of some supporters of Republican former President Donald Trump because of her efforts to raise doubts about the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Biden.

On Wednesday, Nessel announced three felony charges against Lambert: using a computer to commit a crime, which would bring up to seven years behind bars; unauthorized access to a computer, which would bring up to five years behind bars; and conspiracy to commit unauthorized access to a computer, which would also bring up to five years behind bars.

Lambert, 42, of South Lyon, is already facing four felony charges in Oakland County related to an alleged scheme to obtain and examine vote-counting tabulators that were used in the 2020 presidential election in Michigan. Those charges are being handled by Muskegon County Prosecutor DJ Hilson, who is serving as a special prosecutor.

Lambert didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night.

Scott, a former township clerk in Hillsdale County, was charged with five felonies and one misdemeanor: using a computer to commit a crime, unauthorized access to a computer, conspiracy to commit unauthorized access to a computer, misconduct in office, concealing or withholding a voting machine and disobeying a lawful instruction or order of the secretary of state.

The most serious offense would bring up to seven years behind bars for Scott, a Republican who was recalled from her position by voters a year ago.

In 2021, the Michigan Bureau of Elections prohibited Scott from administering an election after it said the clerk failed to comply with state requirements regarding voting equipment in the township.

The bureau said Scott refused to perform preventative maintenance or perform and sign off on public accuracy testing on township voting equipment. She also was alleged to have failed to confirm that she would use certified Hart Intercivic Inc. voting equipment, the township's vendor, for future elections.

Scott, who had various QAnon material on her social media account, told The Detroit News at the time that she didn't want to turn the township tabulator in for maintenance because she feared the county would erase information on the equipment, particularly as it related to the November 2020 presidential election.

The Michigan State Police seized the Adams Township tabulator and eventually, referred its investigation into Scott to the Attorney General's office.

Lambert served as Scott's lawyer when she sued Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and the Michigan State Police in 2022, claiming they had violated the clerk's rights.

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