Michael Moore's Illegal Influence

"Mainstream Democrat" Moore uses illegal tactics to try to win votes for Kerry

Lansing, MI - Today the Michigan Republican Party filed a request for an Issuance of Criminal Complaint against Hollywood filmmaker Michael Moore for his illegal attempts to influence the November election in Michigan.

"Higher turnout in elections is beneficial for everyone and is a goal we share with `mainstream Democrats' like Michael Moore," said Executive Director Greg McNeilly. "But nobody is above the law. Mr. Moore's illegal actions, in an attempt to influence this election, cannot be ignored."

During his self-named "Slacker Uprising Tour" in Michigan, Mr. Moore offered incentives for those who registered to vote or who promised him that they would vote. Section 931(1)(b) of the Michigan Election Code (Michigan Compiled Laws ("MCL") 168.931(1)(b)) provides that a person who performs such an act is guilty of a misdemeanor:

"(b) A person shall not, either before, on, or after an election, for the person's own benefit or on behalf of any other person, receive, agree, or contract for valuable consideration for 1 or more of the following:

(i) Voting or agreeing to vote, or inducing or attempting to induce another to vote, at an election.

Mr. Moore's offers to clean a dorm room, provide a year's supply of Tostitos, provide a clean package of underwear or a package of Ramen noodles all are included in the definition of term `Valuable consideration' under Section 931.

"We want everyone to participate in this year's election, but not because they were bribed or coerced by the likes of Michael Moore," continued McNeilly. "We hope that Mr. Moore will be respectful of the laws of this state if he chooses to return."

A copy of the letter sent by McNeilly to Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings, III is attached. Similar letters were sent to the Prosecutors of Antrim, Isabella and Wayne counties.


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October 5, 2004


Mr. Stuart J. Dunnings, III.
Ingham County Prosecutor
313 W. Kalamazoo Street
Lansing, MI 48933

RE: Request for Issuance of Criminal Complaint Against Michael Moore

Dear Prosecutor Dunnings:

Section 931(1)(b) of the Michigan Election Code (Michigan Compiled Laws ("MCL") 168.931(1)(b)) provides that a person who performs the following act is guilty of a misdemeanor:

"(b) A person shall not, either before, on, or after an election, for the person's own benefit or on behalf of any other person, receive, agree, or contract for valuable consideration for 1 or more of the following:

(i) Voting or agreeing to vote, or inducing or attempting to induce another to vote, at an election.

As used in Section 931 of Michigan Election Code (MCL 168.931), the term "Valuable consideration' includes, but is not limited to, money, property, a gift, a prize or chance for a prize, a fee, a loan, an office, a position, an appointment, or employment." Any person who shall found guilty of a misdemeanor under the provisions of Section 931 of Michigan Election Code shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500.00, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 90 days, or both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court. Section 934 of the Michigan Election Code (MCL 168.934).

Last week, Hollywood filmmaker Michael Moore openly violated the above-referenced criminal provision of the Michigan Election Code. According to Michael Moore on WILX-TV Channel 10 in Lansing reporting on the September 30, 2004 visit to Michigan State University:

REPORTER: "It's all part of Moore's 'Slacker Uprising Tour' 2004......to help register voters and to make sure they vote, with incentives, if necessary.
MICHAEL MOORE: "I will give you a free supply of the sustenance of all slackers everywhere: Ramen noodles. Will you vote?"

The complete WILX-TV report is attached.

According to the October 1, 2001 edition of the Lansing State Journal reporting on the September 30, 2004 visit to Michigan State University:

"Filmmaker Michael Moore roused a campus crowd of more than 3,500 on Thursday, bashing President Bush and begging college students to vote.

Moore, wearing a Spartan cap, tossed out packets of Ramen noodles and underpants to students who promised the crowd that they will vote Nov. 2."
The complete October 1, 2004 article is attached.

According to the October 1, 2004 edition of the State News reporting on the September 30, 2004 visit to Michigan State University:

"Moore tried almost every method to convince a MSU student to kick President Bush out of office. He showed several of his own unofficial, satirical commercials against Bush. He showed six minutes of film taken in Iraq weeks before U.S. bombing to 'put a human face' to the suffering Moore said Bush caused. He told students four more years with Bush in office would lead to a military draft.

But if that didn't work, Moore also threw out a few packages of Ramen noodles and underwear to students who just promised to vote for either candidate."

The complete October 1, 2004 article is attached.

Moore's blatant violation of the Michigan Election Code has occurred in numerous other Michigan communities.

From the Detroit Free Press reporting on a September 28, 2004 visit to the University of Michigan-Dearborn:

"If free underwear and Ramen noodles aren't enough to entice college students to vote on Nov. 2, filmmaker Michael Moore, is trying to scare them into voting for John Kerry by suggesting that President George W. Bush will reinstate the military draft if re-elected."

"Moore asked first-time voters to come forward, saying his tour was designed to push non-voters off the couch and into the voting booth. About a dozen people came forward. The women got Ramen noodles; new male voters got packs of free underwear."

The complete September 29, 2004 article is attached.

From the September 30, 2004 edition of Central Michigan Life reporting on a September 29, 2004 visit to Central Michigan University:

"He [Moore] plans to visit 60 colleges and 20 battleground states and urge people to vote. Moore called audience members on stage and gave away various prizes if they promised to vote in the upcoming election."

The complete September 30, 2004 article is attached.

From WOOD TV 8 reporting on a September 27, 2004 visit to Elk Rapids:

"During each program, habitual non-voters will be invited on stage to pledge to vote for Kerry, he [Moore] said. First-time student voters will be offered gag prizes such as clean underwear."

The complete September 27, 2004 article is attached.

According to an excerpt from a September 28, 2004 report from National Public Radio commenting on Michael Moore's escapades:

"Michael Moore says he'll do anything to get unlikely voters out to vote for John Kerry, even clean dorms. He'll visit a lot of college campuses in next five weeks. He says he'll clean apartments and do laundry for slackers who commit to vote. He also offered prizes, such as a year's supply Tostitos . . . .".

While the goal of increasing voter participation is in everyone's best interest and a goal that we share with Mr. Moore, no one is above the law, not even a Hollywood filmmakers. Michael Moore's blatant and repeated violations of the criminal provisions of the Michigan Election Code must be punished as if Michael Moore were just like any other ordinary citizen. Accordingly, we respectfully ask that you perform your duty to issue a complaint against Michael Moore.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Greg McNeilly
Executive Director

Republicans say filmmaker Michael Moore should be prosecuted for offering underwear, potato chips and Ramen noodles to college students in exchange for their promise to vote.