Michigan AG Nessel says Republicans 'embarrassed' state with fraud claims: "put up or shut up"
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Following Wednesday night's wild showdown at the Michigan State House over claims by Republicans of fraudulent votes and calling the 2020 election a sham, the state's top law enforcement officer is calling on GOP leaders to show the evidence they say they have or to stop talking about it.
Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a series of blistering tweets Thursday morning, saying that America "watched in horror" as tax dollars were used to pay for Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, to speak with alleged witnesses.
Nessel specifically called out Republican Matt Hall, who set the hearing, after he called "witnesses 'brave' and 'courageous' for calling Detroit 'one of the most corrupt cities in America'." She also said Hall made baseless and debunked attacks on the elections.
That was just the first tweet.
In her second tweet, Nessel said "You have embarrassed our state and defamed Michigan's most populous city." She wasn't clear if the 'you' was referring to Hall or all Michigan Republicans.
Additionally, she called on Michigan GOP Chair Laura Cox to renounces the statements and to bring any evidence of election law violations to her office for investigation.
"At long last, put up or shut up," she said.
Cox has also said that there are 'major problems' in Detroit's ballot-counting so the likelihood of her following Nessel's request to renounce the statements is slim.
During Wednesday night's four-hour-long session, Giuliani said he has 'massive' evidence of voter fraud and referenced a large binder he said was full of sworn statements by witnesses claiming election fraud in Michigan.
One witness, Jessy Jacobs, told the committee of state reps that she was told by her boss not to reject any ballots even if the address, signature, or other details didn't match.
She said when she informed her boss that signatures didn't match, she was told to 'let it go'.
Melissa Carone may have taken most of the spotlight. The contracted IT worker said she was assigned to fix any ballot counting machine problems at the TCF Center. Carone says when the Dominion Voter System machines would jam, the votes would be counted repeatedly.
Carone said she had signed an affidavit with the same testimony but Democrat State Rep. Darrin Camilleri replied that a Wayne County judge previously ruled her testimony was not credible.
Republican Rep. Matt Hall asked why more people weren't coming forward.
Carone said she has been dealing with harassment and death threats, is now jobless and has had to move because "Democrats will try to ruin your life."
Michigan Department of State spokesperson Jake Rollow released a statement late Wednesday that the election was both successful and secure:
"As confirmed by multiple experts and election administrators at the local, state and federal level, Michigan's election was the most successful, secure, accessible and accurate in our state's history. One-sided hearings that wrongly attack its integrity, showcasing and elevating misinformation and debunked allegations that lack understanding of basic election procedures, serve one purpose: To falsely erode the public's confidence in what was a well-run election. The Michigan Department of State stands with election s administrators all across this state and remains on the side of truth, confident that those who supported today's charade are on the wrong side of history."