The Michigan Bureau of Elections today directed Genesee County Clerk John Gleason to refrain from participating in election activities to ensure public trust in the county’s elections.
Gleason was charged April 8 with bribing, intimidating and/or interfering with a witness and willful neglect of duty.
In a letter informing Clerk Gleason of the bureau’s decision, and instructing him to refrain from participating in any and all official election duties while charges are pending, Bureau of Elections Director Jonathan Brater stated:
“…the criminal charges you currently face could eventually be resolved in your favor; however, allegations that you have intimidated a witness to interfere with an official proceeding and willfully failed to perform a legal duty threaten to fundamentally undermine voter confidence in the integrity of elections in Genesee County. Therefore, in order to ensure public trust and confidence in the integrity and security of elections, I am instructing you to refrain from administering any elections held in Genesee County while these charges are pending against you.”
Brater said that Gleason’s official election duties should be performed by the county’s chief deputy clerk until further notice. Genesee County Elections Supervisor Kathy Funk is currently on leave due to unrelated criminal charges pending against her.
