#193 Fake Electors

http://dennyhatch.blogspot.com/2023/08/193-fake-electors.html

 

#193 Blog Post - Wednesday, 2 August 2023

 

Posted by Denny Hatch

 

The Sales Pitch That Conned 8 Nice
Folks into Becoming "Fake Electors"

 

IN THE NEWS:

Michigan AG Charges 16 People for Roles in 2020 Fake Elector Scheme
“They weren’t the duly elected and qualified electors, and each of the defendants knew it.”

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Tuesday that charges have been filed against 16 residents of the state for their roles in a fake elector scheme following the 2020 election. All 16 have been charged with eight felony counts, including forgery and election law forgery.
—Noah Lanard, Reporter, Mother Jones, July 18, 2023

 

“The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof, shit detector. This is the writer's radar and all great writers have had it.” 

    —Ernest Hemingway

 

 Way back in February 2022 the “False Electors” scheme was floated as a way to reverse the outcome of the 2020 election. Being a political junky the red flag of my shit detector waved. It was a feeble little flutter. I didn’t think much of the story and went on with my life.

 

Fast forward to this July when it was announced that 16 solid citizens of Michigan who had registered with the federal government as fake electors (subsequently a.k.a. “alternative electors”) were being charged with:

 

1)   One count of Conspiracy to Commit Forgery,
    a 14-year felony.

2)   Two counts of Forgery, a 14-year felony.

3)   One count of Conspiracy to Commit Uttering and Publishing, a 14-year felony.

4)   One count of Uttering and Publishing,
    a 14-year felony.

5)   Two counts of Election Law Forgery,
    a 5-year felony.

 

I was instantly horrified that sixteen citizens of Michigan were facing 14 years in the pokey after falling for a classic marketing scam. They had been conned into signing their names to an official-looking form by a small coterie of desperate, duplicitous Republican Party operatives using fear and anger.

 

For starters, Their Lives Are
Already Turned Upside Down.

I did a deep dive into Google over a three-day period and discovered the first entries of their listings were reports of the felony indictments and potential 14-year sentences. Whether guilty or innocent, these incriminating, negative stories will follow them to their graves.

 

Their plight is akin to that of fine actor Kevin Spacey. Despite his acquittal of all charges of sexual misconduct, he is still having trouble getting work.

 

Who Are These People Accused of Felony?

I found eight of these Michigan professionals to be controversial, having been involved as election deniers or having ties to radical right wing organizations that invaded the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

 

Let’s look at this relatively innocuous other eight — unassuming folks quietly leading productive lives just like you, me, our families, friends and business associates. They are all facing 14 (or more) years in the hoosegow.

 

Kathy Berden, 70, of Snover, Michigan

National Committeewoman (Michigan) at Republican National Committee

“My name is Kathy Berden, and it is my privilege to serve as the Republican National Committeewoman for our great state of Michigan. My husband Dean and I operate a family farm in Sanilac County, and we have four children and ten grandchildren. Many years ago, I became involved in my local party because I believed I had a responsibility to ensure that the people we elect to office at all levels share the conservative values of our party’s platform: limited government, balanced budgets, individual liberty, and a commitment to family.  “During my time as a grassroots activist, I have had the honor to serve as a Precinct Delegate, County Executive Committee Member, County Chair, State Committee Member, National Convention Delegate, and as of May of 2015, Republican National Committeewoman. I have greatly enjoyed meeting so many committed Republicans and great candidates who are truly dedicated to building our party and winning elections.” — Google

 

William (Hank) Choate, 72, of Cement City, Michigan

2016 Dairy Farmer of the Year—MSU Dept. of Animal Science

“When the milk truck turns off the driveway and passes the old bank barn, it’s easy to step back and let the haulers, processors and marketers complete the supply chain. But MMPA Member Hank Choate keeps his eye on the entire milk route, knowing consumer demand for dairy is what truly milks the cow. A dairy farmer with 47 years of experience, Choate is a fervent promoter of dairy and agriculture.
     “In recognition of his passion for dairy, involvement in the industry and accomplishments on the farm, Choate was recently recognized by the Michigan State University (MSU) Department of Animal Science with the 2016 Dairy Farmer of the Year award.”—Google

 

Clifford Frost, 75, of Warren, Michigan

Century 21 AAA North

“Cliff made me feel extremely comfortable during the entire process. He is extremely knowledgeable of the area. He kept in constant contact with me during the entire process. There aren't enough good things I can say about Cliff. If I ever need a realtor again, I will definitely use Cliff. As for the above characteristics, excellent is the only way to describe Cliff. He was by my side during a very stressful sale every step of the way. I knew I could call him anytime to discuss questions or concerns. He is an extremely patient man who is willing to go above and beyond for his client. The staff at Century 21 AAA North were very accommodating, from my initial introduction to the staff to the closing process I felt extremely comfortable and confident in their abilities.” —Helen.    

—Google

 

Stanley Grot, 71, of Shelby Township

Clerk, Stanley Board of Trustees

“Dear Township Residents,

     “It is my great honor and privilege to serve you in the position of clerk. I am confident I can provide leadership and help to guide the township government through these difficult economic times while properly addressing important issues affecting our daily lives.
      “I will use my vast knowledge and experience to provide the best services for the taxpayers of Shelby Township. I will honorably serve their needs. I will lead by example.
“While serving the residents of Shelby Township, the old fashion values will be my guide: hard work, high ethical standards, honesty, integrity, and complete dedication to those I serve.”
Sincerely,
Stanley T. Grot"
—Google

"Michigan clerk stripped of election duties after he was charged with acting as fake elector in 2020 election." —CBS News

 

John Haggard, 82, of Charlevoix, Michigan

Member: Charlevoix Area Chamber of Commerce & BNI Up North Network

“At Haggard's [Plumbing & Heating], we have been providing quality service in the HVAC, plumbing, sheet metal and service industry in Charlevoix and surrounding areas since 1968. We specialize in commercial work as well as residential service and installation. We also have a full service sheet metal fabrication shop for all your customized needs.Our mission is to provide quality and dependable service to our customers at affordable prices. Our team of qualified employees take pride in their work to insure you, our customer, get the quality you deserve."

 

Mayra Rodriguez, 64, of Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan 

Member at Law Offices of
Mayra A. Rodriguez                       

“Boston College B.A. 1980; University of Michigan, J.D. 1982
Admission: 1984, Michigan; 1984 New York; 1998, District of Columbia. Areas of Practice: Latin American Bar Activities, Probate & Estate, Probate & Estate Planning.” —Martindale.com
“Rodriguez, an attorney, has been active in the community. She’s a former president of the Junior League of Detroit and former at-large board member of the Eastside Republican Club. In 2020, Rodriguez was the 14th Congressional District chair in Michigan and a Republican National Convention delegate.” —Grosse Pointe Times

 

Rose Rook, 81, of Paw Paw, Michigan

Member of the Executive Committee of the Van Buren County Republicans.

“Current occupation is listed as Real Estate/Realtor. Rose will celebrate 81st birthday on November 28.”—ClustrMaps

“Served on Boards of the Ethics committee and PR committees. She is presently serving on three boards. Charter member of Paw Paw Area Rotary, Paw Paw Service League.”—CNN

 

Kent Vanderwood, 69, of Wyoming, Michigan

Current Mayor of Wyoming, Michigan

“Vanderwood, who served on the Wyoming City Council for 16 years, won a three-way primary race last August to replace retiring, longtime Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll. Vanderwood is vice president of the Timothy Group  which serves faith-based nonprofits.” —mLive

 

 

How Did They Get Liable to
Serve 14 Years in the Slammer?

Apparently, Republican party operatives conned them into believing the election was rigged. It was their sacred duty to make things right by being loyal to country and Constitution and immediately sign up as fake/alternate electors if they were needed.

From Jack Smith's Indictment, 1 August 2023

     (NOTE: "The Defendant" is  Donald J. Trump)

 Manner & Means

   10.      The Defendant's conspiracy to impair, obstruct, and defeat the  federal government function through dishonesty, fraud, and deceit included the following manner and means:

a.      'The Defendant and co-conspirators used knowingly false claims of election fraud to get state legislators and election officials to subvert the legitimate election results and change electoral votes for the Defendant's opponent, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., to electoral votes for the Defendant. That is, on the pretext of baseless fraud claims, the Defendant pushed officials in certain states to ignore the popular vote; disenfranchise millions of voters; dismiss legitimate electors; and ultimately, cause the ascertainment of and voting by illegitimate electors in favor of the Defendant.

b.      The Defendant and co-conspirators organized fraudulent slates of electors in seven targeted states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin), attempting to mimic the procedures that the legitimate electors were supposed to follow under the Constitution and other federal and state laws. This included causing the fraudulent electors to meet on the day appointed by federal law on which legitimate electors were to gather and cast their votes; cast fraudulent votes for the Defendant; and sign certificates falsely representing that they were legitimate electors. Some fraudulent electors were tricked into participating based on the understanding that their votes would be used only if the Defendant succeeded in outcome-determinative lawsuits within their state, which the Defendant never did. The Defendant and co-conspirators then caused these fraudulent electors to transmit their false certificates to the Vice President and other government officials to be counted at the certification proceeding on January 6.

 

 

 

What Does This Sad Saga Have 

To Do with Direct Marketing?

I turn 88 in two weeks. I spent 60 years as a mail order book club manager, copywriter and designer in the business of professional persuasion—direct mail, off-the-page-advertising and, in recent years, eMarketing.

 

Plus, I’ve written seven (well-received) books on direct mail and direct marketing. As well as 20 years as founder and editor of the WHO’S MAILING WHAT! newsletter/archive service, five years as editor and publisher of “Target Marketing” magazine, and 193 posts of the cranky blog you are now reading.

 

It was the great guru, Dick. Benson, who proclaimed, “Direct Mail [direct marketing] should be scrupulously honest.”

 

Benson’s dictum is in my head and heart every time I sit down in front of a keyboard

 

Takeaways to Consider

• “The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof, shit detector. This is the writer's radar and all great writers have had it.” —Ernest Hemingway

 

• According to the most recent Monmouth Poll, 59% of Americans believe Joe Biden won the presidency fair and square.

 

• If you are part of the other 41% that believes it was “rigged” and “stolen”, stop reading right here.

 

= = = = = = = = = = = =

 

• I have been personally horrified — wounded to my deep heart’s core — by what has happened to the millions of Americans caught up in this ghastly misunderstanding and brouhaha that has split the country 60/40.

 

• For Example:

“After more than two years since the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, the sentences are piling up — and last week saw the longest prison sentence yet. More than 1,033 of the rioters have been arrested, with approximately 485 federal defendants receiving sentences. About 277 defendants have been sentenced to time behind bars, and roughly 113 defendants have been sentenced to a period of home detention… Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers, last week — the longest sentence imposed on a Jan. 6 defendant to date.” [18 years plus 3 years of supervised release]—Kierra Frazier, Politico

 

• For Example:
Carlos De Oliveira, now out on $100,000 bail and property manager of the Mara-Lago country club, along with Waltine Nauta, Donald Trump’s personal gofer — both low-level, hard-working loyal, anonymous employees — are suddenly in the ugly spotlight as part of a criminal ring under indictment with the former president of the United States. Or dedicated, patriotic political operatives in seven states who, as party loyalists were suckered into signing on as “fake electors” in a scheme to reverse the results of a presidential election. Or the two beautiful, lovely, dedicated Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shay Moss being reviled, belittled, insulted and libeled — by a former president of the United States and the former mayor of New York City — resulting in death threats and being forced into hiding.

 

• This is a cautionary tale from a very old writer to always, always, always have verifiable facts at your fingertips before making pronouncements.

 

• For Example: At the end of the WHO’S MAILING WHAT! road is our archive of 1660 direct mail packages in 18 categories that are guaranteed to contain winning copy, design, offers and pricing. How can they be guaranteed winners? Each was received in the mail from correspondents across the country over a minimum of three consecutive years. This was not e-mail, which is basically free to send. These were actual mailings that cost big bucks to send out — list rental, paper, printing, addressing, inserting, and (the biggest expense) USPS postage. Some were sent over many many more than 3 consecutive years. Example: The Wall Street Journal “Two young men…” mailing written  by freelancer Martin Conroy, first mailed in 1974 and for 18 consecutive years and responsible for $2 billion dollars in revenue for Dow Jones. It is the most successful advertisement in the history of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ww8a-8hyio&t=476s

 

• “You cannot judge good advertising. It judges you.” —DH

• And always remember the 14 fake electors in Michigan have to hire lawyers and are facing up to 14 years jail. Their lives are ruined forever.

 

• Yuck. 

 

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At age 15, Denny Hatch—as a lowly apprentice—wrote his first news release for a Connecticut summer theater. To his astonishment it ran verbatim in The Middletown Press. He was instantly hooked on writing. After a two-year stint in the U.S. Army (1958-60), Denny had nine jobs in his first 12 years in business. He was fired from five of them and went on to save two businesses and start three others. One of his businesses—WHO’S MAILING WHAT! newsletter and archive service founded in 1984—revolutionized the science of how to measure the success of competitors’ direct mail. In the past 55 years he has been a book club director, magazine publisher, advertising copywriter/designer, editor, journalist and marketing consultant. He is the author of four published novels and seven books on business and marketing.

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