JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images
- Melissa Carone, who gained notoriety as Rudy Giuliani’s “star witness” during a Michigan election fraud hearing earlier this month, has been hit with a cease and desist letter from Dominion Voting Systems over her comments.
- Carone’s testimony, which at times drew audible laughter from hearing attendees, accused the company of engaging in election fraud.
- Video of Carone’s testimony went viral, and prompted a parody skit on “Saturday Night Live.”
- Carone is among nearly two dozen people and companies — including Fox News, Newsmax, and OANN, who have received cease and desist notifications from Dominion’s lawyers over election fraud claims.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
In early December, Melissa Carone became the subject of fascination – and a “Saturday Night Live” skit – after she appeared as a star witness for Rudy Giuliani in a Michigan hearing over claims that Dominion Voting Systems were used to perpetrate election fraud.
Now she’s the star recipient of a cease and desist order from them.
Lawyers for Dominion sent Carone a strongly worded letter last week accusing the Grosse Pointe Woods mother of two of spreading misinformation and lies about the company.
“You gained international infamy earlier this month as Rudy Giuliani’s so-called ‘star witness’ who could supposedly corroborate outlandish accusations that Dominion has somehow rigged or otherwise improperly influenced the outcome of the Nov. 2020 US presidential election,” the letter, which was first published by Law and Crime, read in part.
It continued: “We write to you now because you have positioned yourself as a prominent leader of the ongoing misinformation campaign by pretending to have some sort of ‘insider’s knowledge’ regarding Dominion’s business activities, when in reality you were hired through a staffing agency for one day to clean glass on machines and complete other menial tasks.”
The letter warned that “litigation regarding these issues is imminent.”
Carone did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the cease and desist letter.
Carone’s testimony included a litany of unfounded claims and accusations that at times bordered on the absurd. She repeatedly told state representatives running the hearing, “I know what I saw.”
Carone drew audible laughter at times during her testimony, especially when she attempted to confront Rep. Steven Johnson about an alleged discrepancy on the voter rolls.
“What’d you guys do, take it and do something crazy to it?” she said. “I know what I saw. I know what I saw! And I signed something that said that if I’m wrong I can go to prison. Did you?”
At one point during the hearing, Giuliani could be heard “shushing” her as she told the oversight panel that she’d seen poll workers run the same ballots through voting machines “thousands of times.”
The clip of her testimony went viral online and was viewed nearly 10 million times.
Dominion Voting Systems, which designed voting machines used in at least 24 states during the presidential election, sent out a slew of “cease and desist” letters in recent weeks, threatening legal action against anchors at Fox, OANN, and Newsmax, among others, for making baseless claims about election fraud involving the company. Pro-Trump lawyers, including Sydney Powell and Lin Wood were also sent letters.
Anchors at Fox and Newsmax both walked back claims on air after receiving letters from Dominion.
In the days following her testimony, it was revealed that Carone harassed her fiance’s ex-wife by sending her sex tapes. She was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct as part of a plea deal. Carone also apparently refused to quarantine after being in close contact with Giuliani directly after he tested positive for COVID-19.
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