HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Michigan State Police are finalizing their investigation into multiple Hamtramck city councilmen regarding residency questions and other accusations, with findings soon headed to prosecutors.
The investigation comes as surveillance video obtained by 7 News Detroit appears to show Councilman Abu Musa in the passenger seat of a vehicle as another man deposits three stacks of ballots at a city drop box just days before the primary election.
Watch Brett Kast's video report below:
This latest development adds to the mounting legal troubles in Hamtramck, where two other councilmen were recently arraigned on fraud charges, including allegations of forging absentee ballot applications.
Michigan State Police confirmed they've had video as evidence in their ongoing investigation.
Previous coverage: Hamtramck council member attends meeting hours after election fraud arraignment
The footage from Aug. 1, three days before Hamtramck's primary election, shows a car pulling up to the ballot box. The passenger, appearing to be Musa, who was up for re-election, is seen depositing three large stacks of ballots.
Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown helped clarify the legal questions surrounding the video and what's permitted at ballot drop boxes.
"You can (return more than one ballot), but there's a big caveat as to who, whose ballot you can return," Brown said.
According to Brown, there's no numerical limit to how many absentee ballots one person can bring to a ballot box. However, those ballots must belong to someone in your household or another close relative.
"If it's an immediate family member or you co-inhabit with somebody — it doesn't have to be in a romantic way — but if you co-inhabit with someone, you can return their absentee ballots," Brown said.
Previous coverage: Hamtramck council members charged with election fraud plead not guilty
It remains unclear whose ballots were being returned in the video. State police say their findings regarding Musa's residency investigation will soon be forwarded to the prosecutor's office for possible charges.
Meanwhile, Hamtramck's police chief and city manager are both on administrative leave pending separate investigations, adding to the city's ongoing governance challenges.
Previous coverage: Whistleblower lawsuit filed against Hamtramck city leaders detail alleged corruption
We attempted to reach Musa via his city email address Thursday afternoon and also on a phone number believed to belong to him but did not hear back before publication.
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