NO NOOSE, NO JOKE

Karen McDonald

Joe Rozell

During a ballot recount on December 15 of the Royal Oak ballot proposal for ranked choice voting as part of the November 2023 election, Oakland County’s top election official, Joe Rozell,  received a threat to his life – and Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald definitely didn’t think it was a joke. She has charged Andrew Hess with a felony offense for stating “hang Joe for treason” against Rozell, the director of elections in Oakland County. McDonald’s announcement cited a state law that bans anyone from making a terrorist threat or a false report of terrorism. The offense is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $20,000. She stated in a release that some individuals “seek to undermine the integrity of the election process by threatening and intimidating election workers and supervisors… I will do everything within my power to hold those who make such threats accountable.” Election officials locally and across the country have been under attack since the 2020 election, with some individuals questioning results.