Shelby Township Clerk Stan Grot, an influential Republican in Macomb County, has filed defamation lawsuits against outspoken election critic Mellissa Carone and three others, alleging they made false statements about him.
Grot submitted the suits on Thursday in Macomb County Circuit Court, asking a judge to force Carone to publish a retraction and pay more than $25,000 in damages.
Carone had falsely stated Grot "took a $230,000 bribe" to drop out of the 2018 race for secretary of state, according to his lawsuit. Likewise, she also falsely accused him of keeping "money from an illegal immigrant's lottery ticket," the suit said.
"Defendant's statements about plaintiff, Stanley Grot, were made with reckless disregard to the truth," Grot's lawsuit said.
Because of the statements, Grot has suffered emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment, sleeplessness and anxiety, according to the filing.
Carone, who gained the spotlight and was parodied on "Saturday Night Live" after making false claims about Michigan's 2020 presidential election, stood by her statements in a Facebook post Monday.
"I dare Stan Grot to sue me," Carone wrote. "I have stacks of contracts, witnesses of bribes, victims of threats, proof of promised seats … bring it on!"
She added, "Truth will always prevail."
Carone told The Detroit News she's looking forward to Grot's suit and that she "never made a false statement."
"I believe Stan just made the biggest mistake he could possibly make," Carone said. "The...
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