Meshawn Maddock (néeEngdahl) is an American politician in theRepublican Party who served as co-chair of theMichigan Republican Party from 2021 to 2023 along with ChairRonald Weiser. Previously, she was Chair of the 11th Congressional District for the Michigan Republican Party. She is married to Republican Michigan StateRepresentativeMatt Maddock.[1] Maddock wascharged with fraud in regards to her role as afake elector for Donald Trump in the 2020 election.[2]
Maddock and her family run A1 Bail Bonds, a business inMilford, Michigan.[3]
In 2016, Maddock was elected as a delegate to theRepublican National Convention inCleveland where she served on the platform committee.[4]
In January 2021, Maddock was elected co-chair of the Michigan Republican party along with chair Ron Weiser.[5] Two years later in February 2023 Maddock chose not to run for another term.[6]
Maddock has been a strong supporter of PresidentDonald Trump and was a prior board member ofWomen for Trump, as well as being involved in severalpro-Trump organizations such as the Michigan Conservative Coalition. TheNew York Times said that events around her election "signaled a profound shift in Republican politics".[7]
It was claimed that campaign endorsements by Donald Trump were handled through Maddock in the 2022 primary and general election.[8]
In June 2021, Maddock called for Michigan to secede from the United States, saying the secession is "to escape Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's tyrannical rule".[9]
Maddock promoted anunsubstantiated rumor on social media in 2022 thatMidland Public Schools had placedlitter boxes in the bathrooms for students who identified as cats orfurries. The school superintendent denied the rumor in a statement issued to parents, and thefact-checking organizationSnopes found no evidence for it.[10][11][12]
Maddock has been criticized for the language in her social media attacks. A tweet describing Transportation SecretaryPete Buttigieg as a "weak little girl" was criticized as sounding homophobic byGeorge Takei. A tweet describing a Black Michigan elected official as a "scary masked man" was criticized as sounding racist.[13][14]
Maddock supports Trump's false claims of election fraud in the2020 presidential election.[15]
In January 2021, Maddock helped organize a delegation of 19 buses to travel to Washington to protest the election results.[citation needed] She spoke at the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 5. Maddock said she was absent from thestorming of the Capitol that occurred the next day.[15]
On July 18, 2023, Maddock was charged in connection with theTrump fake electors plot.[2] Maddock, along with 15 others, had submitted certificates to the federal government claiming they were Michigan's “duly elected and qualified electors” for the 2020 presidential election. They were not.
Michigan Attorney GeneralDana Nessel said they likely violated state laws regarding forgery of a public record and election forgery. The fake electors were referred to the U.S. Attorney for possible prosecution.[16] The Michigan GOP chair later testified before theHouse committee on the January 6 attack that Maddock and the others planned to hide out in the state Capitol building so they could cast their fake elector ballots on the specified day. That plan did not come to fruition.[17]
Meshawn Maddock, the new co-chair of the state party who backed former President Donald Trump's false claims of voter fraud...