Kelley testifies in election fraud case
Former gubernatorial hopeful was convicted for his role in Jan. 6 Capitol riot
A former candidate for governor testified Thursday a company operated by a Warren man, his wife and a third man failed to provide him any signatures for the $15,000 he paid the company.
Ryan Kelley took the stand in 37th District Court in Warren at the preliminary examination of Shawn Wilmoth, Jamie Wilmoth and Willie Reed, each of whom is charged with 25 criminal felony counts of election fraud in connection in the collection of petition signatures for six gubernatorial candidates and three judicial candidates in the 2022 campaign.
Kelley, a real estate broker from west Michigan, testified he paid Florida-based Petitions Reed’s LLC the money for the company to collect 3,000 signatures to submit to the Michigan Secretary of State by an April 2022 deadline so he seek the GOP nomination.
“We didn’t get anything from them, no,” Kelley testified by Zoom from a remote location, in reference to signatures on nominated petitions.
He said he found the company through a Google search and wasn’t concerned it was located in Florida because firms all over the country provide signature-collection services.
The deal was finalized in February 2022 and Kelly testified that in March 2022 Petitions Reeds indicated it had collected about 1,000 to 1,100 signatures and would continue working toward the 3,000 mark. He said he
had been in contact mostly with Shawn Wilmoth via telephone calls and emails.
“I may have spoke to Willie, as well,” he said, referring to Willie Reed.
In early April, when Kelley or his campaign officials attempted to contact them for an update, that changed.
“The communication stopped. They ignored us, and I soon realized we weren’t getting any signatures from them at all,” Kelley said.
During cross-examination, Shawn Wilmoth’s attorney, Noel Erinjeri, asked Kelley why he was unable to testify in January when the first three days of the preliminary examination were held.
Kelley at the time was serving a 60-day prison term after pleading guilty last October to a misdemeanor charge of illegally entering a restricted area, as part of his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Assistant Attorney General Chris Kessel immediately bounced from his chair and objected.
“That is completely irrelevant. Objection,” Kessel said.
Asked by Chmura to respond, Erinjeri said it is relevant “because it goes to his credibility.”
“I’m suggesting, your honor, that we all know why
he was unable to testify,” he said.
Chmura said he didn’t know why, and added, “I don’t know that I need to know why.”
Kessel reasserted his objection.
“I think it’s clear that this question is somehow meant to somehow embarrass the witness,” Kessel told Chmura. “It has nothing to do with a crime involving theft or dishonesty or anything like that,” which could allow it to be revealed.
Erinjeri responded: “I would suggest what he was in jail for involved both theft and dishonesty.”
Chmura sustained Kessel’s objection and did not require a reply by Kelley.
Thursday’s proceeding concluded testimony from 20 witnesses. Judge Chmura scheduled arguments for March 20 on whether the case should proceed to Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens.
Also testifying Thursday was Robert Lalone, the officer in charge of the investigation of the Major Crimes Unit in the state Attorney General’s Office.
Under cross examination by Erinjeri, Lalone acknowledged none of the many signature collectors have been charged but said they could be charged, and that he “would like to” charge them in the future if they can be levied before they expire under the statute of limitations.
Lalone testified he interviewed Reed, who indicated he owned Petition Reed’s and said the company didn’t collect signatures as agreed upon. Reed said the agreement was for Kelley to pay $7 per signature, according to Lalone.
“In the end, he said it wasn’t enough money so they didn’t collect any signatures,” Lalone said.
Reed said he directed Wilmoth to return the $15,000 to Kelley and later learned Wilmoth did not return it.
The Wilmoths and Reed are each charged with one count each of conducting a criminal enterprise, eight counts of election law forgery, three counts of false pretense of $100,000 or more, two counts of false pretenses of more than $50,000, three counts of false pretenses of more than $20,000 and eight counts of using a computer to commit a crime of $20,000 or more. Shawn Wilmoth and Reed are also charged with one count of using a computer to commit a crime of more than $1,000, and one count of larceny by conversion of more than $1,000.
The most serious charge, conducting a criminal enterprise, carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
In addition to Kelley, the defendants allegedly defrauded the Republican gubernatorial campaigns of Perry Johnson, James Craig, Donna Brandenburg, Michael Brown and Michael Markey, and judicial candidates Tricia Dare, John Cahalan and John Michael Malone. Reed and Wilmoth are also charged with stealing from Kelley’s campaign.