A Michigan judge has cautioned that making derogatory comments about witnesses online could result in contempt of court charges, highlighting concerns about witness intimidation in a prominent case involving alleged “fake electors.” During a hearing on Tuesday, District Court Judge Kristin Simmons addressed the issue, emphasizing that negative comments about witnesses on social media platforms like Facebook could be interpreted as an attempt to intimidate them. The case revolves around 16 individuals, including former Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock, who are accused of attempting to send unauthorized Electoral College votes to Congress in an effort to overturn Michigan’s 2020 presidential election results. Nicholas Somberg, an attorney representing Maddock, came under scrutiny from the judge for his social media activity. Somberg had referred to a cooperating witness, James Renner, as the “AG’s star snitch” in a post. Renner agreed to testify against his co-defendants as part of a plea deal after initially facing charges himself. “It’s no secret he’s an informant or snitch or whatever — these words are interchangeable,” Somberg told Bridge Michigan. He defended his choice of words, arguing that they were not meant to be disparaging but descriptive of Renner’s role in the case. Judge Simmons addressed the comments, calling them ‘juvenile and ridiculous’ and emphasizing that court time should not be consumed by issues related to social media behavior. The controversy arose during a preliminary examination to determine if the accused knowingly committed forgery in their attempt to influence the election outcome. The hearing also addressed the broader implications of such actions on the integrity of the electoral process. Maddock has defended her role in the scheme by insisting she was not a “fake elector.” “We didn’t do anything wrong,” she said last year. “We know we didn’t do anything wrong. We’re not fake electors. I was a duly elected Trump elector. There was no forgery involved.” The case has raised concerns about witness intimidation and the potential impact of social media on the integrity of the electoral process.
Judge Warns of Contempt Charges for Online Comments Disparaging Witnesses
