2 Hamtramck City Council members charged with election fraud, forgery

By Elle Meyers

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    HAMTRAMCK, Michigan (WWJ) — Two Hamtramck City Council members are facing election fraud charges in connection with the 2023 city council election.

In April, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office began an investigation into four current council members and a former council member for a “conspiracy to unlawfully obtain access to absentee ballots with the intent to illegally vote the ballots.”

State prosecutors say that six people allegedly worked together during the 2023 election to receive blank absentee ballots that had been signed by naturalized citizens. Those six people would allegedly then fill in the candidates they wanted.

Nessel’s office requested a special prosecutor to investigate the allegations.

On Monday, Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffery Yorkey, who was named the special prosecutor, charged city councilmember Mohammed Hassan, 57, with election law forgery, two counts of unqualified elector attempting to vote, forging a signature on an absentee ballot application and providing a false statement in an application for an absentee ballot.

Fellow councilmember Muhtasin Sadman, 26, is charged with election law forgery, forging a signature on an absentee ballot application and providing a false statement in an application for an absentee ballot.

CBS News Detroit reached out to Hassan, Sadman, Hamtramck city officials and the Monroe County Prosecutors’ Office for comment.

“It’s kind of a relief that these concerns are being addressed,” said Lynn Blasey, who ran for Hamtramck City Council in 2023 and finished fourth.

Blasey said she decided not to run again due to concerns about whether the vote would be fair. She said she’d like to see a stronger punishment than simple fines.

“I think it would be fair to forfeit their seats on council and not be allowed to serve in public office again, or even run,” she said.

The charges come after months of multiple suspensions and accusations of retaliation within the city government.

Sadman and Hassan, along with other city leaders, were named in a lawsuit earlier this year that alleged corruption and violation of the Michigan Whistleblower Protection Act and Open Meetings Act.

The lawsuit, filed by City Manager Max Garbarino and Hamtramck Special Investigator David Adamczyk, alleges that in late 2023, the city clerk discovered irregularities in absentee ballots and was advised by Garbarino to report the findings to the Hamtramck police. Garbarino received complaints that city leaders were improperly helping people with ballots and entering restricted areas, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that after the investigation reached the Michigan Attorney General’s office, council members allegedly harassed Garbarino and the clerk, trying to force him to fire the clerk.

DeJanay Booth-Singleton contributed to this report.

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