In a concerning display of government overreach, Michigan’s Democratic Attorney General, Dana Nessel, has issued a cease-and-desist order against a private citizen for simply informing her community about changes to voting locations. The recipient of this legal threat, Kerry Lynn Elieff, is now caught in the crosshairs of a powerful state official, all because she dared to exercise her First Amendment rights in the run-up to the state’s primary elections.
Elieff, a resident of Ross Township, took to social media to notify her neighbors of a change in their voting locations—a seemingly innocent and responsible act of civic duty. But in today’s politically charged climate, even well-intentioned efforts to keep citizens informed can attract the wrath of those in power. On July 31, just days before Michigan’s primary elections, Elieff received a letter from Nessel’s office demanding that she delete any “misleading or false election information” from her social media accounts. The letter, which ominously threatened legal action, failed to specify exactly which of her posts had allegedly violated the law.
Elieff expressed her disbelief at being targeted for what she believed was a public service. “I was posting this and informing the residents of this, and then I put out a FOIA request. And in that FOIA request, they told me that they would give me the information by August 8th, two days after the election,” she explained in a statement to the Daily Wire. “I’m shocked. They are threatening me with criminal prosecution for sharing information with residents of the township.”
The letter from Nessel’s office, signed by Criminal Trials Division Chief Robbin N. Liddell, was as vague as it was threatening. It accused Elieff of violating Michigan election law by spreading “misleading or false election information,” yet failed to provide any evidence or specifics. Instead, it issued a blanket order for her to “CEASE and DESIST” from posting on the matter, warning that failure to comply could result in criminal prosecution.
This heavy-handed response is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by unchecked government power, particularly when wielded against ordinary citizens. In a free society, the role of the government should be to protect the rights of its people, not to silence them. Yet, here we have a state attorney general using her office to intimidate a woman who was simply trying to keep her community informed.
Adding to the suspicion surrounding this incident is the timing. Elieff received the threatening letter shortly after Michigan’s Democratic Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, released a document urging citizens to report “misleading or inaccurate information regarding voting or elections in Michigan.” It’s not hard to see how this call to action could be weaponized by political operatives to target those with opposing viewpoints.
Elieff has made it clear that she is willing to correct any genuine mistakes if they are pointed out to her, but she remains puzzled by the lack of transparency and the aggressive tactics used against her. “I don’t want to go to prison over this. What are they deeming ‘misinformation’?” she asked.
This incident raises serious questions about the lengths to which certain state officials are willing to go to control the narrative and stifle dissent. It’s a chilling reminder that, in today’s America, even the simple act of informing your neighbors can be met with threats from the government. As Elieff rightly pointed out, there was no attempt at a dialogue, no investigation—just a “beatdown” from those in power.
The question now is, what kind of precedent does this set for the future? Will more citizens be silenced for daring to speak up? And at what point does the public say enough is enough?
