BARRY COUNTY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A Michigan sheriff investigating allegations that noncitizens were improperly registered to vote says his probe has taken another turn – this time involving accusations of obstruction and witness intimidation.
Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf said in a new video statement online that investigators attempted to interview two Michigan Secretary of State supervisors as part of his investigation, but both declined to cooperate.
Leaf Says Employees Were Told Not to Talk
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Leaf said the supervisors gave what he described as a “scripted” responses and added that they were not permitted to speak with his office or cooperate with the investigation.
He now claims he has obtained physical evidence showing that specific people within the Secretary of State’s chain of command instructed employees not to speak with his investigators.
“I know who these individuals are,” Leaf said, calling the alleged conduct “obstruction of justice” and “witness intimidation.”
Leaf said he has referred those individuals to the federal government for investigation and consideration of possible criminal charges. He also said he would recommend immunity for employees who cooperate.
No criminal charges have been announced, and Leaf’s allegations have not been independently established in court.
Investigation Started With Whistleblower
The dispute began in August when Leaf said a confidential informant inside the Secretary of State’s office provided evidence alleging Michigan’s Customer and Automotive Records System (CARS) was automatically registering some noncitizens after address changes.
Leaf subsequently said investigators located a noncitizen with an active Michigan voter registration who claimed never to have registered.
State Says Safeguards Are Working
The Michigan Department of State says only U.S. citizens may be registered to vote and that CARS is built with safeguards. For Leaf, however, the investigation is no longer limited to how names may have landed on Michigan’s voter rolls. It now includes who, if anyone, tried to prevent state employees from talking about it.
