Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Officials ruled that Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy was not in violation of the law during President Donald Trump’s visit in August.

Trump held a press conference at the Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 20.

According to the complaint, filed by Melissa Heinig, “Murphy stated that the visit would be a press conference and not campaign related, but video from the meeting proved that this was untrue. To prepare for the ‘press conference,’ Murphy closed roads, closed the court houses near the Sheriff Office, and disrupted the public school day for many children. Video from inside the conference shows that Trump was campaigning against Kamala Harris. He did so in a publicly funded building, surrounded by publicly funded officials. I am disgusted that my tax dollars have paid for this visit and would like for Murphy to be investigated and punished for this behavior.”

Heinig included the WHMI article “State Investigating Livingston Co. Sheriff Over Trump Visit.”

The contention was that the Michigan Campaign Finance Act says a “public body or a person acting for a public body shall not use or authorize the use of funds, personnel, office space, computer hardware or software, property, stationary, postage, vehicles, equipment, supplies or other public resources” in support of political candidates.

In response, Cohl, Stoker and Toskey P.C., the law firm representing Murphy, said “this legal assertion fails to recognize or address that the general prohibition MCL 169.257 does not apply to : (a) The expression of views by an elected or appointed public official who has policy making responsibilities. (b) Subject to subsection (2), the production or dissemination of factual information concerning issues relevant to the function of the public body. (d) The use of a public facility owned or leased by, or on behalf of, a public body if any candidate or committee has an equal opportunity to use the public facility.”

The law firm attached two articles, one from MLive and one from Fox 2, with quotes from Murphy saying he would provide Kamala Harris the same opportunity as Trump.

They also said Murphy, along with several other sheriffs from Michigan, fell under “elected or appointed public official who has policy making responsibilities,” under the Campaign Finance law. Due to that, he was not considered a public employee under the Political Activities of Public Employees Act.

The Secret Service and Livingston County deputies worked together, including former President Joe Biden’s 2021 Howell visit.

In the ruling from the Department of State’s Bureau of Elections, officials said that while there was evidence of a possible violation, it was ultimately found that because “the location was rented for a private event at fair market value” it didn’t violate the law. Deputies were also acting at the discretion of the Secret Service and a political candidate, which didn’t meet the “express advocacy” to fall under MCFA.

Court documents can be found at the link below.

In an article from the Livingston Daily, the Bureau of Elections ruled that Livingston Co. Board Chair Jay Drick violated campaign finance law.

The complaint was filed by Livingston Democratic Party Judy Daubenmier.

“Drick has reimbursed the county $2.56 and received a formal warning for his actions,” according to the Livingston Daily article.

Daubenmier alleged that Drick used the County Commission meeting held on July 22 to “advocate for his reelection and criticize the qualifications of his opponent in the August primary election, Heather Williams,” a WHMI article said.