Executive Summary
- The Genesee County GOP filed criminal complaints against candidate Anthony Hudson over alleged threats.
- Hudson, recently defecting to the Libertarian party, claims his “going to war” comment was metaphorical.
- The Michigan State Police confirmed an investigation is underway and will report to the prosecutor.
- The dispute highlights deepening fractures between grassroots candidates and party leadership in Michigan.
The Genesee County Republican Party in Michigan has filed criminal complaints against gubernatorial candidate Anthony Hudson, alleging he made threatening statements to party officials. The complaints, lodged with the Michigan State Police (MSP) and the Burton Police Department, stem from a phone conversation that took place on Thursday, February 19, shortly before Hudson announced his departure from the GOP to run as a Libertarian.
According to party officials, Hudson contacted Party Secretary April Snyder and directed what they described as “threatening and intimidating statements” toward the organization’s leadership, including Chair Shannon Elenbaas and members of the 8th Congressional District Republican Committee. In a press release, the local GOP stated that Hudson warned Snyder he was “going to war” with the group. The party asserts it is cooperating fully with law enforcement to ensure the safety of its members.
The Michigan State Police confirmed on Monday that an investigation is currently underway based on the complaint. Once the inquiry is concluded, the findings will be forwarded to the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Burton Police Chief Brian Ross was not immediately available for comment regarding the parallel complaint filed with his department.
Hudson, a truck driver and small business owner, issued a statement on Monday rejecting the characterization of his remarks as physical threats. He argued that his reference to “going to war” was a standard political metaphor for engaging in vigorous ideological competition and challenging the status quo. Hudson, who is campaigning on a platform of eliminating state income taxes and reducing the size of the legislature, accused the party establishment of escalating a political dispute into a legal matter to suppress grassroots dissent.
This incident follows previous friction between Hudson and the party, including condemnation of his past remarks regarding Venezuelan politics and a video in which he held a rope while discussing treason. Hudson maintains that he is switching parties because of what he describes as the Republican establishment’s practice of hand-selecting candidates.
Investigative Outlook
The involvement of law enforcement marks a significant escalation in the internal friction within Michigan’s political landscape, transitioning a partisan dispute into a potential criminal liability. As the Michigan State Police proceed with their inquiry, the legal focus will likely center on the statutory threshold between aggressive political rhetoric and actionable criminal threats. The forthcoming review by the prosecutor will establish whether the candidate’s language falls under protected speech or constitutes a violation of public safety laws. It is important to note that these are allegations, and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
