LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A fundraiser on behalf of Meshawn Maddock and Marian Sheridan, two of 16 Republicans charged with felony election crimes, has raised nearly $30,000 for the Michigan Conservative Coalition.

According to the fundraiser description, Maddock and Sheridan (both members of the Coalition) were “acting on evidence that the election in their State had been stolen after the unlikely early morning spike in votes for Joe Biden, [and they] planned to submit alternative electors on behalf of President Trump to the Electoral College.” They were later accused of signing documents attesting falsely that they were Michigan’s “duly elected and qualified electors” for president and vice president, attempting to overturn Trump’s defeat.

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“This plan to reject the will of the voters and undermine democracy was fraudulent and legally baseless,” said Attorney General Dana Nessel as charges were announced. “The false electors’ actions undermined the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections and … we believe also plainly violated the laws by which we administer our elections in Michigan and peaceably transfer power in America.”

Maddock said this was part of Nessel’s “personal vendetta” and “a national coordinated lawfare to stop Trump.” The fundraiser description encourages viewers to “please donate to their defense now and stand against Communist subversion of the law!”

The fundraising campaign was created by the Michigan Conservative Coalition to cover legal expenses. Marian Sheridan is a co-founder of the organization, which was created to “guide the GOP, and specifically the Michigan Republican Party, back to the ‘right’ side of the road.” On social media, the organization encouraged donations with the caption: “The thug booted pukes infesting Lansing are trying their own corrupt weaponization of our once proud legal system.”

Comments on the fundraiser sympathized with the defendants, with one calling the situation “persecution.” Other commenters added, “Thank you for standing against totalitarianism,” “Another innocent person pursued by a vicious leftist AG,” and “Theon phobeisthe [fear God].” Some wrote under anonymous names such as “John Adams” or “Patriot.”

The fundraiser is hosted by GiveSendGo, an organization that has made headlines for permitting controversial fundraisers that other sites, such as Kickstarter or Patreon, would likely remove. Kyle Rittenhouse used GiveSendGo to raise nearly $600,000 to pay his legal fees. Proud Boys, designated a terrorist group in Canada, raised $113,000 for a defense fund after its chairman was arrested on charges related to firearms and the vandalism of a black church.

Maddock and Sheridan are facing eight felony counts, including forgery, uttering and publishing, and election law forgery.

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“To Dana Nessel, they are guilty of the crime of being effective political opposition,” the Michigan Conservative Coalition wrote. “Without your support, they will spend years in prison while hardened criminals walk the streets.”