DETROIT — President Donald Trump's campaign intends to appeal in a U.S. Supreme Court case seeking to overturn Michigan's election results based on claims that have been rejected by lower courts, election experts and testimony in legislative hearings.
Trump announced his intent to intervene in the suit filed by the Texas attorney general via tweet Wednesday, a day before the state's 3 p.m. deadline to respond to the suit from Attorney General Ken Paxton.
"We will be INTERVENING in the Texas (plus many other states) case. This is the big one. Our Country needs a victory!" Trump said in a tweet.
At the same time, six Michigan Republicans seeking to overturn Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's 154,000-vote win in Michigan are expected to appeal to the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals after a federal judge's dismissal of their plea for emergency relief.
The group, represented by conservative attorney Sidney Powell, had asked U.S. Eastern District Judge Linda Parker to order Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to sign off on certified election results that state "President Donald Trump is the winner of the election."
The suit also sought an impoundment of all Michigan "voting machines and software" for expert inspection.
Parker called the suit an effort to "ignore the will of millions of voters" and noted it was "less about achieving relief" than it was about "the impact of their allegations on people's faith in the democratic process and their trust in our government."
Paxton, an advocate of Trump, filed his suit against Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday, arguing that the swing states had used the COVID-19 pandemic to make unlawful changes to mail-in voting.
The lawsuit seeks an order calling Michigan's election results unconstitutional, stopping the state from choosing electors based on the popular vote and requiring the Legislature to appoint its own electors in a way that doesn't conflict with the Constitution — or appoint no electors at all.
The FBI currently is investigating claims that Paxton unlawfully used his office to benefit an Austin, Texas real estate developer, The Associated Press reported last month. The claims were made by senior lawyers in his office. Paxton has denied wrongdoing and resisted calls for his resignation.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, called the filing a "publicity stunt" that was "beneath the dignity" of Paxton's office and the people of Texas.
"The erosion of confidence in our democratic system isn't attributable to the good people of Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia or Pennsylvania but rather to partisan officials, like Mr. Paxton, who place loyalty to a person over loyalty to their country," Nessel said in a Tuesday statement.
Trump has lobbied lawmakers in swing states to intervene in the electoral process to select electors favorable to the president and in conflict with the popular vote. But Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said Michigan lawmakers during a November meeting with Trump told him state law does not give legislators a say in awarding electoral votes.
The Clarklake Republican's spokeswoman did not delve into the legality of the Legislature's intervention in the electoral process in response to the Texas lawsuit.
"Regardless of the outcome, Sen. Shirkey hopes the court responds in a swift manner to resolve this issue," said Shirkey spokeswoman Amber McCann.
Michigan's Democratic electors were sent letters notifying them of the Dec. 14 Electoral College meeting on Nov. 23, hours after the Board of State Canvassers certified the state's election results.
