Crye & Lindell: A Controversial Meeting with Lasting Effects

---

Anyone who follows current events closely is likely familiar with Mike Lindell and his widely known product, MyPillow. Once a successful entrepreneur, Lindell has transitioned into a fervent supporter of Donald Trump, particularly after Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election. Lindell has repeatedly claimed that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen from Donald Trump through widespread voter fraud and manipulation of voting machines, despite these claims being repeatedly debunked and rejected by numerous court challenges and election officials.

Lindell has poured millions of dollars into his quest to uncover alleged election irregularities, yet time and again, he has met with failure. His unyielding pursuit, coupled with his increasingly bizarre claims, has led to a public persona that many describe as unhinged and delusional, firmly establishing him as a controversial figure in the election denier and conspiracy theory community.

Lindell has orchestrated a series of controversial events aimed at promoting his unfounded election conspiracy theories. One of the most notable was his three-day “cyber symposium,” held in South Dakota in August 2021. During this event, Lindell boldly proclaimed that he would finally present irrefutable proof of China's alleged involvement in the “theft” of the 2020 election from Trump. Despite his grandiose claims, the symposium ultimately yielded a remarkable absence of evidence to substantiate his assertions. When pushed to provide any proof, Lindell unsettlingly remarked, “Just forget about the evidence,” seemingly dismissing the need for facts altogether. He insisted that his fantastical beliefs were undeniable truths, urging attendees to abandon the practice of fact-checking, further entrenching his controversial stance.

Considering what we know about Lindell, would you feel confident seeking his guidance or support on a decision that could impact a significant number of people? Well, that is exactly what Kevin Crye did. Let us explain….

In January of 2023, Patrick Jones, the then board’s chair, took decisive action to sever ties with Dominion Voting Systems. Fueled by a deep-seated skepticism toward electronic voting machines, Jones became increasingly vocal in his criticism of Dominion, mirroring the unrelenting attacks the company has endured from right-wing conspiracy theorists since the 2020 presidential election. These accusations, perpetuated by Donald Trump and his supporters, which fueled the insurrection on the Capital building on January 6th, have been baseless and lack credible evidence, alleging that Dominion's machines were manipulated to alter votes from Trump to Joe Biden.

At a meeting in late February 2023, Jones articulated his frustrations with a stark declaration. “For people to say we have free and fair elections without knowing all the things that have been going on and the things that we know, it's just not true.” His words continued to fuel the conspiracy theory fire of election fraud. Meanwhile, Dominion mounted legal defense, launching multiple defamation lawsuits, including a high-profile case against Fox News and…. You guessed it…. Mike Lindell. 

Despite the overwhelming evidence at hand, it appeared that Kevin Crye, the most junior board member at that time, showed little interest in pursuing credible and accurate information that could aid in making informed decisions to benefit his constituents positively. Instead, he opted to embark on a county-funded trip to Minnesota, where he sought a meeting with Mike Lindell. During that period, Lindell faced a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems. Local news obtained an email from Mary Williams, who was the Acting CEO of Shasta County at that time, confirming that Crye had asked if his trip would qualify for reimbursement by the County, and he was informed that it would. “Supervisor Crye indicated that the purpose of the travel included discussing financial contributions to the County, as well as discussion and research regarding elections matters being considered by the Board of Supervisors.”

Take a moment and let that sink in… 

Kevin Crye used county taxpayer funds to continue investigating Dominion Voting Systems and supposed election fraud, relying on baseless and completely disproven assertions, and even traveled to Minnesota to consult with Mike Lindell, a well-known proponent of contentious conspiracy theories, who was ironically facing a defamation lawsuit from Dominion at that time. Does that make any sense to anyone? 

Crye shared with local television reporters that he had spent “four or five hours” engaging in a dialogue with Lindell during which Crye said that they spoke at length about the intricate details of the voting process from a legislative perspective, hand counting, and exploring what measures and initiatives other states are undertaking in relation to electoral procedures.

QUICK INFORMATION ABOUT HAND COUNTING BALLOTS IN CALIFORNIA:

California signed AB 969 into law in October 2023 and significantly limits the ability of ANY California county to hand-count ballots. The law allows hand-counting only under very specific circumstances: 

• In regularly scheduled elections in places with fewer than 1,000 registered voters.
• For special elections with fewer than 5,000 registered voters. 
• California Election Code does include provisions for hand-counting in audits (1% manual tally) and voter initiated recounts in any county.

Here is the most interesting part: AB 969 was largely in response to Shasta County's Board of Supervisors plan to hand-count all ballots in the 2023 elections. The new law effectively blocked this plan. That’s because the evidence and research has overwhelmingly demonstrated that hand counting ballots is significantly more expensive AND LESS ACCURATE than machine counting. This finding has been consistently validated through rigorous studies, highlighting the clear advantages of utilizing machine processes in ensuring election integrity.

Crye and the other right-wing members of the board were very aware of the legal implications of terminating the county’s contract with Dominion. They recognized that hand-counting ballots in California has long been a contentious issue. However, propelled by misguided beliefs influenced by far-right MAGA conspiracy theorists who were upset that Trump lost the 2020 election, the board naively adopted the incorrect notion that voting machines were the source of election fraud. In August 2023, the board submitted a plan to the California Secretary of State for hand-counting ballots, hoping to gain approval before the local election in November 2023.

The proposal was ultimately impeded (thankfully) by the passage of AB 969, even though the county had already faced considerable financial and political expenses while trying to implement hand-counting of ballots. The county had preemptively invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in a new voting system and had recruited staff to support the hand-counting effort. This decision represented a very unwise strategy from both a financial and policy perspective for the Board of Supervisors.

During their meeting in Minnesota, Lindell committed to financially supporting Shasta County as it faced legal consequences regarding the implementation of hand-counting ballots. An email from Lindell to Crye reaffirmed this financial commitment, which Crye read publicly during a Board of Supervisors meeting. "As I promised, if you face any pushback [regarding the hand counting of ballots], including lawsuits against you or your county, I will provide all the necessary resources, including financial and legal support, for this fight,” Lindell wrote. He further emphasized his support for Shasta County in statements made to the LA Times.

Shasta County has implemented a new voting system utilizing Hart InterCivic machines for ballot tabulation. This new system was utilized during the special election, the March 5, 2024, primaries, and the November 5, 2024, election.

NOW LET’S REVIEW A QUICK TIMELINE OF EVENTS:

• January 2023: The Shasta County Board of Supervisors votes to terminate the county’s contract with Dominion Voting Systems.
• March 2023: Kevin Crye travels to Minnesota to meet with Mike Lindell.
• June 2024: Clint Curtis appears in Shasta County and applies for the open ROV position after Cathy Darling Allen resigned. At that time, the board chose Tim Toller.
• March 2025: Tim Toller resigns from his position as ROV 10 months into his employment. 
• May 2025: Clint Curtis is chosen for the ROV position over Joanna Francescutt.

It’s important to highlight a crucial detail: Clint Curtis entered the scene in Shasta County only AFTER Kevin Crye's meeting with Mike Lindell. This timing raises questions, especially considering the longstanding connection between Lindell and Curtis, forged through their mutual involvement in the election denial and conspiracy theory movements. One might ponder… Did Kevin Crye, in his pursuit of financial backing from Mike Lindell to challenge the State of California’s hand counting regulations, make a promise to appoint Clint Curtis to the ROV position as part of their agreement? This potential link adds a layer of intrigue to their interactions and motivations.

Shasta Exposed is not making an accusation; instead, we are prompting voters to reflect critically on this issue and draw their own conclusions.

Please be sure to click here to read emails, text messages, and other communications from the Shasta County Board of Supervisors in response to American Oversight’s request for communications regarding the cancellation of Dominion contracts.