Howell, MI - Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy is currently under investigation by the state Bureau of Elections following allegations that he violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act by utilizing his department to host a campaign event for former President Donald Trump. The investigation was prompted by two complaints that accused Sheriff Murphy of using public resources to support a political candidate.

The event, which took place on August 20, saw Trump delivering a speech inside an equipment and vehicle storage warehouse managed by the Livingston County Sheriff's Department. During his remarks, the former president criticized Vice President Kamala Harris' record on crime and immigration. Trump was accompanied by members of Michigan law enforcement, campaign banners, and three staged sheriff's office cruisers.

The Bureau of Elections is currently looking into the complaints, and spokesperson Angela Benander declined to provide specific details about the allegations. According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Act, public officials are prohibited from using public resources, including public funds, personnel, facilities, and stationary, to support or oppose political candidates or ballot questions.

However, there are exceptions to this rule. Laura J. Genovich, an attorney and shareholder at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, explained that public facilities can be used for political campaign events as long as all candidates have equal access to the same space under the same conditions. In this case, it remains unclear whether Trump's usage of the sheriff's office cruisers behind him during the event constituted a violation of the campaign finance laws.

Sheriff Murphy, a Republican, stated that he welcomes the investigation and believes that there was no violation. He emphasized that if Kamala Harris or any other candidate wished to use the space, they would be granted the same courtesy. The Michigan Campaign Finance Act allows elected officials, such as sheriffs, to express their political views and participate in political demonstrations, as long as public resources are not utilized.

It is worth noting that Sheriff Murphy had previously been fined for likely violating campaign finance laws when he appeared in uniform with a sheriff's cruiser during a 2018 campaign commercial for Bill Schuette, the former candidate for governor. In that instance, the violation stemmed from the usage of the sheriff's office vehicle for political purposes, rather than the uniform itself.

The investigation by the Bureau of Elections will determine whether there was a violation in the usage of the sheriff's office cruisers during the Trump campaign event. Sheriff Murphy will have an opportunity to formally respond to the complaints before the Bureau reaches a decision. If found guilty of using public resources to support a political candidate, an individual can face a one-year misdemeanor charge and fines of up to $1,000.

It is expected that the investigation will take several months before a final determination is made. This event follows a similar campaign stop by Donald Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, at the Shelby Township Police Department a few weeks prior.