LANSING ? Today, in the 54A District Court in Lansing, Judge Kristen Simmons bound Sandy Baxter, 64, of Caledonia, over to stand trial in the 30th Circuit Court in Ingham County, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Baxter was charged in February with one count of Perjury (PDF), a 15-year felony, for lying while under oath during testimony to state prosecutors and special agents investigating an alleged fundraising scheme to fund the Unlock Michigan ballot question initiative.??

In May 2021, Robert LaBrant filed a complaint with the Michigan Department of State?s (PDF) office alleging a ?dark money scheme? to use Michigan! My Michigan!, a 501(c)(4), to fund the Unlock Michigan ballot question initiative in violation of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act. The Department of State referred LaBrant?s complaint to the Department of Attorney General on June 3rd, 2022. ?

The Department of Attorney General launched an investigation into the allegations made in the complaint, and later charged Baxter, a fundraising consultant soliciting funds for Michigan! My Michigan!, with Perjury for allegedly lying to state investigators in the course of this investigation.??

?Misleading state investigators while providing testimony under oath is a serious crime with significant legal penalties,? Nessel said. ?Perjury undermines our ability to seek the truth and, ultimately, justice.??

Baxter will next appear for an arraignment in the 30th Circuit Court in Ingham County on August 21st, 2024.

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