LANSING (WKZO) -- State Democratic Party officials are going beyond just calling the defection of Roy Schmidt to the Republicans an act of betrayal. They are now claiming fraud, calling the man who did file to run as a democrat is a fake, an acquaintance of Schmidt’s nephew who may have committed a crime by lying on his candidate’s affidavit.

Democrats charge that the whole sequence of events was planned out in advance for Schmidt to switch allegiance just before the filing deadline, and to have Matt Mojzak file as a Democrat from Kent County despite the fact that he is registered to vote in Ottawa County.

Mojzak’s filing makes it more difficult for Democrats to put up a late write-in candidate. They are crying foul and demanding an investigation.

Schmidt admits he had been talking with Speaker Jace Bolger about it for two weeks, but says he didn’t make up his mind until Monday evening and claims he does not know Mojzak.