According to state Attorney General Dana Nessel, as of yesterday, all 16 defendants in the false elector prosecution, including a former Snover resident, have been arraigned before Magistrate Laura Millmore in the 54-A District Court in Ingham County.
Kathy Berden, 70 and formerly of Snover, was arraigned on August 10th, and is scheduled to next appear for a probable cause conference on August 18th and a preliminary exam on August 24th. According to a state press release, Berden is now residing in Tennessee.
All defendants, including Berden, pled not guilty on all eight counts with which each is charged and their cases have been assigned to the Honorable Kristen D. Simmons. All have been charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Forgery, two counts of forgery, one count of Conspiracy to Commit Uttering and Publishing, one count of Uttering and Publishing–each of which carry a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison; along with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Election Law Forgery and two counts of Election Law Forgery, which are each five year felonies.
Berden is alleged to have been listed as the “Chair for the Michigan Republican Electoral College” on the false certificate of electors. Berden was elected in 2015 to be Michigan’s Republican Chairwoman, even attending the 2017 inauguration.
A graduate of Sandusky High School and former farmer, Berden served in several county and state level roles in the Republican Party, including a Precinct Delegate, County Executive Committee Member, County Chair, State Committee Member and National Convention Delegate before her 2015 election.
Berden, who was questioned in March 2022 about her involvement as a false elector by the U.S. House’s select committee to investigate the January 6, 2021 insurrection riots, invoked her fifth amendment right 81 times so as not to incriminate herself.
