Election fraud argument gets an audience with Montana's Department of Justice

After months of pressing their case with various elected officials in Montana, several people who have raised questions and allegations about the state’s 2020 election met last month with Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s staff.

Spokesperson Emilee Cantrell told Montana Free Press via email this week that members of Knudsen’s staff, whom she did not identify, met Nov. 10 at the attorney general’s office with Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Stevensville, and an unspecified number of “guests” including MyPillow founder Mike Lindell. MTFP first learned about the meeting from a Facebook video posted by the organization Richland County Republicans. The video, recorded during a Nov. 15 “election security symposium” held at the Richland County Extension Office, features Rep. Bob Phalen, R-Glendive, informing the gathering that Manzella and Lindell had presented Knudsen with information they claim supports their allegations of election fraud in the 2020 election. Phalen mentioned that Douglas Frank, an Ohio mathematician who spoke at a similar symposium in Ravalli County in late September, was also at the meeting.

Cantrell did not confirm whether Knudsen attended the Nov. 10 meeting, which has not been previously reported, and did not respond to a follow-up email requesting additional information about what topics were discussed. In an email to MTFP Thursday, Manzella said she facilitated the meeting between Knudsen and others including Frank, Lindell, Lindell attorney Kurt Olsen, and an unnamed member of the Florida-based firm Cyber Ninjas, which conducted a review of 2020 ballots in Maricopa County on behalf of the Arizona Senate this year. Manzella said Rep. Brad Tschida, R-Missoula, also attended.

“The purpose of the meeting was to present evidence of election irregularities and vulnerabilities to the AG for consideration, with the goal of having him sign on in support of the lawsuit Lindell intended to drop on Nov. 23rd,” Manzella wrote. “Ultimately, he did not sign onto the lawsuit.”

Read more: https://montanafreepress.org/2021/12/03/election-skepticism-reaches-montana-attorney-general/