A shocking video has surfaced, allegedly catching Hamtramck, Michigan, city council member Abu Musa in a ballot-stuffing scheme just days before his primary election victory, as the Daily Mail reports.
On Aug. 1, footage emerged showing Musa handing stacks of absentee ballots to a driver who deposits them into a drop box, raising alarms about election integrity in this Michigan swing state. The incident, now under investigation by Michigan State Police, follows a pattern of electoral misconduct in Hamtramck, where two other council members faced charges for ballot forgery in 2023.
The video, confirmed authentic by state police, captures Musa in the passenger seat as the driver stuffs three bundles of ballots into the drop box. This brazen act occurred just four days before the Aug. 5, primary in which Musa secured a win with 1,129 votes. His victory relied heavily on 843 absentee ballots, a number that now invites scrutiny.
Hamtramck’s city clerk, Rana Faraj, flagged suspicious absentee ballot patterns, noting identical handwriting and bulk submissions. “State laws are clear that your ballot should only be handled by you or a family member,” Faraj said. Her quip about “everyone’s cousins around here” barely masks the gravity of systemic issues in Hamtramck’s elections.
Faraj’s observations triggered the initial investigation, which uncovered troubling practices in this Metro Detroit city of 28,000, where over 70% of residents are Muslim. The council, the first all-Muslim governing body in the U.S. since 2022, has been no stranger to controversy. Earlier in 2025, an election forgery scandal rocked the city, setting the stage for this latest uproar.
In 2023, council members Muhtasin Sadman and Mohammed Hassan were charged with forging ballots, a scheme allegedly involving unvoted absentee ballots from recently naturalized citizens. Musa, though named in the investigation, escaped charges at the time. Now, the video evidence casts a long shadow over his earlier reprieve.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recused herself from the ballot forgery case, citing past criticism of her handling of Muslim and Arab-American issues. Nessel’s prior clash with Hamtramck’s council over their Pride flag ban and her prosecution of pro-Palestinian protestors fueled accusations of bias. Her decision to step aside, while prudent, leaves the investigation’s impartiality under a microscope.
In April, Nessel requested a special prosecutor for the 2023 case, alleging a conspiracy to manipulate absentee ballots. The document detailed how council members allegedly filled in ballots for candidates of their choosing. This backdrop of distrust amplifies concerns about Musa’s actions in the video.
Musa’s primary win on Aug. 5 saw him take 12.5% of the vote in a crowded field of 12 candidates. His 843 absentee ballots dwarfed his 286 election-day votes, ranking him fifth in in-person support. The disparity suggests a troubling reliance on a voting method now tainted by suspicion.
Hamtramck’s council, with six members serving four-year terms, sees three seats contested every two years. The 2023 forgery charges against Sadman and Hassan, filed on Aug. 11, exposed vulnerabilities in the city’s electoral process. Musa’s alleged involvement in the latest scandal further erodes public confidence.
The city’s political drama unfolds against Michigan’s razor-thin 2024 presidential election, in which Donald Trump edged out Kamala Harris by just 80,000 votes. Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib’s endorsement of Trump, followed by his nomination as ambassador to Kuwait, adds a curious twist to the local saga. The intersection of local and national politics underscores the stakes of election integrity.
The video’s release has prompted the Daily Mail to seek comment from Musa, though no response has been reported. His silence speaks volumes, as voters demand answers about the integrity of their democratic process. The investigation’s outcome could redefine Hamtramck’s political landscape.
Michigan State Police are probing not only the ballot-stuffing allegations but also council members’ residency requirements, signaling a deeper dive into Hamtramck’s governance. The city’s history of electoral irregularities, from identical handwriting to bulk ballot drops, points to a system ripe for exploitation. Voters deserve better than a council mired in scandal.
The timing of the video, just before the August 5 primary, raises questions about how long such practices may have gone unchecked. Musa’s heavy reliance on absentee ballots, while legal, now appears suspect in light of the footage. The public’s trust hangs by a thread as investigations continue.
Hamtramck’s story is a cautionary tale for election integrity nationwide, especially in a swing state where margins matter. The council’s actions, from banning Pride flags to alleged ballot tampering, reflect a troubling disregard for transparency. As Michigan grapples with these revelations, the call for accountability grows louder.
