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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMichigan Sheriff Coordinated with Trump Advisers in Attempt to Seize Voting Machines
Emails: Michigan sheriff sought to seize voting machines amid Trump claims
by Jonathan Oosting
Bridge Magazine, July 2, 2021
LANSING Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf last year tried to enlist fellow constitutional sheriffs to seize Dominion voting machines at the heart of an election conspiracy theory promoted by then-President Donald Trump, Bridge Michigan has learned.
A trove of emails obtained by Bridge through the Freedom of Information Act indicate Trump had at least some law enforcement support in his bid to overturn the 2020 election won by Democratic President Joe Biden.
Bridge obtained emails from Leaf that detail his unsuccessful efforts to obtain voting machines and inspect them. The records indicate that Leafs attorney provided updates on the effort to Trump allies including attorney Sidney Powell and a contact for former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
Leaf told Bridge in a brief interview that he worked with other Michigan sheriffs on what he called an ongoing matter after the election, but would not divulge specifics.
"It is our job to investigate all acts of voter fraud," said Leaf, a Republican who made national headlines last year for joining armed militia members on stage at a protest against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmers COVID-19 pandemic orders.
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https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/emails-michigan-sheriff-sought-seize-voting-machines-amid-trump-claims
VRWC indeed.
Lovie777
(11,992 posts)Dominion is gonna to exposed more ugly shit that was and still going on with the "Big Lie".
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)Look at that guy with the sign in back, reading: Democrats Dumping Whitmer.
Thats also a lie.
stillcool
(32,626 posts)with those people that were looking to kidnap and kill the Governor.
edit to add...same guy
Sheriffs, prosecutor condemn Barry County sheriff's comments on alleged Whitmer kidnapping plot
Beth LeBlanc
The Detroit News
The Michigan Sheriffs Association has condemned comments by the Barry County sheriff that appeared to defend the 13 men who were arrested on allegations that they planned to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, storm the Capitol and try to start a civil war.
Sheriff Dar Leafs comments were dangerous and nothing about the alleged actions of the 13 individuals should be understood to be legal, moral or American," wrote Matthew Saxton, executive director and CEO for the Michigan Sheriffs Association.
It is, frankly, disheartening that any law enforcement official with any time in service of his or her oath could respond that way, Saxton wrote in a Tuesday open letter that also thanked state and federal investigators involved in the case.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/14/barry-county-sheriff-comments-alleged-kidnapping-plot/3655429001/
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)Joseph Lorenz
World Socialist Web Site, 16 October 2020
Excerpt
In one statement to Grand Rapids FOX17, Leaf mused, Are they trying to kidnap? Because a lot of people are angry with the governor, and they want her arrested. So are they trying to arrest or was it a kidnap attempt?
This statement was given in response to questions about Leafs political connections to the right-wing militia members who are being indicted. In May, Dar Leaf appeared on stage at a rally in Grand Rapids against Michigans stay-at-home order alongside William Null, one of the alleged conspirators.
The extent of Leafs political connections to the fascist groups remains unclear, but his own political history highlights the rise of the far-right into the main stream of US politics and the danger posed by these fascists in the coming period.
Dar Leaf has been Sheriff of Barry County since 2004, according to CBS affiliate WWMT. Online election records for Barry County only go back to 2012, and these records show that he ran unopposed in 2012 and 2016, and that he is running unopposed in 2020. A rural county located between the cities of Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Kalamazoo, Barry County voted 6070% Republican in the last three presidential elections.
Starting in 2014, Leaf began developing a media persona of militarism and distrust of the government, combined with an orientation towards religious groups. This process accelerated after the election of Donald Trump in 2016.
In August 2014, Dar Leaf gave a radio interview to WMUK for a piece on the 1033 program of police militarization. Playing on the publics horror at school shootings, Leaf attempted to justify his departments owning an armored Humvee. So this gives me peace of mind. If you look at it, if you picture little kids, if you pack them all up through here, you could fit 30 kids in here. Its gonna be tight, but I can pack them up in here and get them out.
In what might be considered a fascist dog whistle, he added, Were not here to intimidate people. This is still a badge, its not a swastika. We have to prepare for the worst. We have to prepare for things you dont like talking about.
Continues
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/10/17/leaf-o17.html
Thanks, stillcool! Fir some reason, NPR and the rest of Corporate McPravda missed that part.
stillcool
(32,626 posts)have kept reading...turns out the article is all about him. I wonder if he's still a Sherriff?
Leaf is no stranger to controversy.
In May 2020, the Barry County Sheriff appeared on stage with armed militia members at a Grand Rapids rally protesting Whitmer's COVID-19 response.
When two of those militia members were later arrested in an alleged plot to kidnap Whitmer, Leaf questioned whether they had simply tried to make a citizen's arrest.
And in December emails first reported by The Detroit News, Leaf told a Genesee County resident there were "a handful of violations that could be used" to prosecute Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for election crimes.
Leaf also tried to use the courts to seize election equipment.
He was the lead plaintiff in a Dec. 7 lawsuit seeking an immediate order to impound all voting machines and software in Michigan for "expert inspection."
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)Barry County gave him 25,000 votes and wrote in about 1,500 others.
Great video and links to sources, too:
https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/sheriff-who-defended-alleged-would-be-whitmer-kidnappers-handily-wins-re-election/
The People of Barry County may not know he is a traitor, but they sure like that he hates Democrats. In Western Michigan, that means, Detroit, as in Blacks.
stillcool
(32,626 posts)if we picked up on it right away, how could they not know? I am always so surprised to see this crap be accepted, and condoned. Still.
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)the minds get overwhelmed. Thats why the pukes are so quick to lie if they can be be the first into someones head, they know that it takes 10 times more truth (information) to change a perspective to reality. For a large number of American adults, perhaps more than 20%, even when exposed to the facts online, in print, and on-air, refuse to accept the truth.
patphil
(6,035 posts)If your the sheriff and make that statement, you can be sure he knows exactly what he stands for.
And it ain't to "protect and serve".
Unless you call stuffing 30 kids in an armored Humvee protection and service. But, militarizing the police should give all of his community peace of mind...it will help them sleep at night to know they're safe, unless you aren't a facist pig. In which case, you're in deep shit.
A prime example of one of Amerika's "finest".
DFW
(54,055 posts)you can't tell me all this crap he has pulled is covered by the First Amendment. He sure as hell wouldn't say so about your right to point this out.
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)Same for conspiracy to kidnap Michigans Governor.
Leaf might think hes covered in Kevlar and Teflon: Even after calls for his resignation after appearing with and defending one of the men who tried to kidnap Gov. Whitmer, Leaf ran unopposed and was re-elected.
Escurumbele
(3,340 posts)What the hell is going on? Democrats need to toughen up because otherwise this stuff is going to continue.
blogslug
(37,955 posts)The movement has some ideological similarities with, the Patriot movement (militia movement) and the sovereign citizen movement, and some members of those movements also espouse "constitutional sheriff" ideology. The "constitutional sheriff" or "county supremacy" movement itself arose from the far-right Posse Comitatus, a racist and anti-Semitic group of the 1970s and 1980s that also defined the county sheriff as the highest "legitimate" authority in the country, and was characterized by paramilitary figures and the promotion of conspiracy theories. The ideological basis of the sheriffs' movement is based on various incorrect historical and legal claims.
A number of county sheriffs in the United States have expressed sympathy with the movement's goals and have publicly vowed not to enforce laws they deem unconstitutional. Law professor Robert L. Tsai writes that, "in practice constitutional sheriffs and their followers tend to occupy the edges of anti-government conservatism, organizing themselves to promote gun rights and property rights, to resist tax laws, national healthcare, gay marriage." Members of the movement have vowed not to enforce gun laws, public health measures adopted to combat the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and federal land use regulations. Sheriffs who refuse to enforce land-use laws facilitate the illegal use of public land (for example, for livestock grazing or all-terrain vehicles use) and in some cases have threatened Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees. A research study of reports from 1995 to 2015 found that counties with sheriffs who are members of the movement "have higher rates of violence against BLM employees than other Western counties."
The movement has attracted support from some landowners, county commissioners, law enforcement figures (in particular Richard Mack and Joe Arpaio), and some politicians who have played on "fears of federal officials intruding on property rights and gun rights."
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids. Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Covid!
ReOpen Protestors Turn to Constitutional Sheriffs to Defy State Policies
by Cloee Cooper
Political Research Associates, June 3, 2020
In May 2020, a leader of the recent wave of anti-Lockdown protests against government issued Covid-19 directives and ReOpen America founder, Suzzanne Monk, told journalist Shane Burley that the next step of their protest movement was to reach out to sheriffs departments. ReOpen America, one of hundreds of organizations that attracted far right groups to protest stay-at-home orders, is a national Political Action Committee that formed in April and has since endorsed protests to Re-Open in Oregon, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. While their organization is new, the idea of influencing sheriffs to defend a particular groups interests is not. There is a well established strategy on the far right including in the patriot movement, among Christian Reconstructionists and in the sovereign citizens movement, as well as in the KKK before them, to pressure elected officials of the lower magistrate, particularly sheriffs, to defy state and federal orders that dont reflect their values. ReOpen Americas efforts to align the militarized political protesters in their movement with law enforcement is likely to lead to the types of injustices against marginalized communities that have occurred when such alliances were forged historically. Refusing to enforce stay-at-home orders and calling them tyrannical, undermines the institutions meant to protect public health and those most vulnerable to the virus particularly Black, immigrant, and low income communities.
To Monks advantage, there is a pre-existing network of right-wing sheriffs who have adopted a decades-old legal theory of county-level sovereignty. These sheriffs, who refer to themselves as constitutionalists, argue they have a legal and ethical duty to refuse to enforce state and federal policies and laws they believe to be unconstitutional. The legacy of these constitutional actions is rooted in anti-desegregation efforts and refusal to cooperate with civil rights enforcement, environmental regulations, and other dubious efforts to assert local priority under the law. Their flagship organization, Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), was founded during the Obama administration by former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack. From their point of view, public health measures intended to prevent the unchecked spread of the coronavirus are acts of government tyranny, and those who protest and resist them deserve the protection of the sheriff. The legal theory in question is self-serving for the sheriffs involved and contradicted by well-established principles of constitutional law. Such claims for local control are, however, extremely convenient for organizers like Monk.
In fact, ReOpen Americas website directly links to constitutional sheriffs and militia resources in their call to action page. Their six point plan to get America back to work starts with contacting your local sheriff to encourage them to stand up for the constitution. ReOpen America directs readers to National Liberty Alliances, a nationwide sovereign citizen group closely aligned with CSPOA, website on the power of the county sheriff. The site features a copy of an 84-page Sheriffs Handbook, CSPOA founder Sheriff Richard Macks five part youtube video series on the power of sheriffs, and the militia organization, Oath Keepers video on not obeying orders to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.
Continues
https://www.politicalresearch.org/2020/06/03/give-me-liberty-or-give-me-covid-reopen-protestors-turn-constitutional-sheriffs-defy
Thank you for the heads-up, blogslug. It all makes perfect sense.
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)Militia groups, 3 per-centers - pond scum.. They like to make it look above board. If there isn't anyone willing to run then your ceding government to a tin star dictator.
paleotn
(17,781 posts)Since when are the Michigan Sheriff Clown Posse experts in electronics and programming? And what did they think they'd find? A suspicious looking box inside the voting machine labeled "made in _insert conspiracy here__" with a tiny sat dish?
magicarpet
(13,941 posts)... Votes for the Orange Emperor for life.
Leaving bamboo behind as a clue.
magicarpet
(13,941 posts)Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)Like the scrambled eggs.
One good thing about all the bling: It makes them easier to spot.
malaise
(267,823 posts)That is all
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)It is unbelievable, the fascism.
malaise
(267,823 posts)and Europe
bucolic_frolic
(42,676 posts)MAGA sense of brazen entitlement and righteousness knows no bounds! Lock him up!
Botany
(70,291 posts)40 + years of right wing hate talk has cooked their brains into think that they are "the real
Americans."
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)Barry County Sheriff Dar Dar Leaf wants votes from Benton Harbor, Flint and Detroit to go uncounted. That makes him a felon.
SouthBayDem
(31,962 posts)Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)thankfully, from what Ive seen, there are more good sheriffs and deputies than bad.
But the bad, they also are very, very ugly.
The Militia Groups--A Major Concern
Linked In, Published on October 23, 2020
Jackalyn Rainosek, PhD.
Excerpt
I think one of the disturbing things is there is a group of militia-friendly Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers, who wanted to minimize the actions of these men. Sadly, the militia believes that local sheriffs are the highest constitutional authority in the United States, invested with the right to determine which laws support and which laws violate the Constitution. The events in Michigan show how dangerous these mistaken understandings of the Constitution can be. According to Barry County, Michigan Sheriff Dar Leaf is a member of the militia-friendly group and was at a protest with two of the alleged kidnappers. I have already stated that as a country we will pay for Trump connection to White Supremacists, and there are more and more stories coming out about police and sheriff personnel that have strong connections with these groups.
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/militia-groups-a-major-concern-jackalyn-rainosek-ph-d-
The crooked sheriffs in the militia movement appear to claim, as the highest elected office in the county, they represent supreme authority. Thus, the rest of us get classified as citizens or non-persons. History shows how fascists treat non-persons.
Botany
(70,291 posts)No it is not your job to investigate voter fraud that is the county's BOE, Michigan's Sec. of State's office,
the State of Michigan's BCI, and the DoJ's jobs.
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)A controversial Michigan sheriff peddled baseless conspiracy theories about the election using his county email address and suggested Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson could be arrested for a handful of violations.
In one email obtained by The Detroit News, Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf falsely claimed in December that Benson broke the law by sending absentee ballot applications to all registered voters in Michigan. Responding to an email from a Genesee County woman, who asked under what circumstances can SOS Benson be arrested for her actions, Leaf pointed to a state law that allows a judge to find probable cause that a public official committed malfeasance in office or willful neglect of duty.
Source: https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2021/02/05/michigan-sheriff-uses-county-email-to-peddle-baseless-conspiracy-theories
msfiddlestix
(7,265 posts)there ought to be consequences. and it should have happened expeditiously.
Kid Berwyn
(14,651 posts)They are working to institute something beyond Brave New World.
Former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, USA and Retired Lieutenant General
Michael T. Flynn Joins Brainwave Sciences Advisory Board
February 16, 2016
SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Brainwave Science developed, modernized and offers its patented Brain Fingerprinting Technology with applications in National Security, Counterterrorism, Border Security, Human and Drug Trafficking and Immigration Control to law enforcement agencies worldwide. Brainwave Science today announced Michael T. Flynn, Lieutenant General (LTG), Former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, USA has joined their Advisory Board.
We are thrilled to have attracted to our advisory board such prominent and decorated General who shares our interest in transforming the landscape through technological innovation in Law enforcement, counter terrorism and counter intelligence agencies particularly in the field of investigations and interrogations, said Krishna Ika, President and CEO of Brainwave Science, LLC.
General Mike Flynn has over 33 years of service in US nations military culminating as the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and as the nations highest serving military intelligence officer. General Flynns experience is broad and ranges in areas such as Intelligence, Counterintelligence, Security, and Cyber. As Director of DIA, General Flynn also served as the Commander, Joint Functional Component Commander for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) for the Department of Defense. As Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Partner Engagement, General Flynn was responsible for International, Military, and Domestic partner development and engagement. As Director of Intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command under General Stanley McChrystal, General Flynn was credited with completely revolutionizing how intelligence supports special operations.
General Flynns strong advocacy for changing how intelligence supports operations revolutionized and transformed a much needed shift in thinking about how U.S. Special Operations and more conventional intelligence and military forces could contribute to the defeat of Al Qaeda in Iraq. This led to the development of innovative techniques for the vastly needed Human Intelligence and Document and Media exploitation changes required for effective interrogation operations is so aligned with our companys vision to bring forth a solution, which can eliminate human suffering and torture in the process of interrogation. we constantly explore to bring right talent, experts and advisors on board to accomplish our mission to provide best possible tools for torture free investigation and interrogation. Through Brain Fingerprinting, Brainwave Science, addresses this fundamental lack, added Mr. Ika.
General Flynn served as Senior Intelligence Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mike Mullen, principal military advisor to the President of the United States. General Flynn has also received the US Intelligence Communitys Gold Seal Medallion, the Service to America Award from the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the US Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award, and was the first non-Navy recipient of the distinguished RADM Edwin T. Layton Award. He is the recipient of four bronze star medals and numerous other awards for his service to nation. He has been a frequent personality on numerous international and U.S. major media outlets, to include Fox News Sunday, CNNs Fareed Zakaria, Al Jazeeras Head to Head and The Charlie Rose show, all speaking out about issues of U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy.
About Brainwave Science, LLC
Established in 2012, Brainwave Science solely focuses on development, modernization, marketing and sales of Brain Fingerprinting Technology worldwide. Headquartered in Southborough, Massachusetts, the company offers its patented Brain Fingerprinting Technology with applications in National Security, Counterterrorism, Border Security, Human and Drug Trafficking and Immigration Control to law enforcement agencies worldwide. For more information please visit www.brainwavescience.com
And to think we fear what I and China are doing to advance the science of repression.
Takket
(21,425 posts)and they can run our elections and run out lives at the tip of their assault weapons and posse. You are a sheriff, and not the secretary of state. Stay in your lane, treasonous scumbag
oldsoftie
(12,410 posts)The GOP, not the Democrats.
Dumbass
David__77
(23,220 posts)A coup would be a police-fascist one.
JackHughes
(166 posts)In practice, these "constitutional sheriffs" are no different from local warlords.
We saw how Joe Arpeijo intimidated local political opponents. Once in, it's hard to get them out.
Evolve Dammit
(16,632 posts)TheRealNorth
(9,435 posts)If people don't conform, they can make "life difficult". And it's not like there is any local media in most of small town America these days (or it is controlled by the Republican Party).