Michigan House Holds Secretary of State Benson in Contempt for Defying Subpoena
The Michigan House declared Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in civil contempt on May 22 for defying a subpoena and refusing to turn over remaining election training materials that lawmakers seek for legislative oversight.
The contempt
The resolution was introduced by chairman of the House Oversight Committee Rep. Jay DeBoyer, a Republican, who said he put it forward after receiving word from the Michigan department of state that it would not be providing any additional materials.
'The Legislature is the body that determines how elections are run—the time, the manner, the place,' DeBoyer said in a May 22
Benson, a Democrat, responded on May 22 in a
'However, I also have a duty to protect the security of our elections from politicians seeking information that would enable someone to interfere with the chain of custody of ballots, tamper with election equipment, or impersonate a clerk on Election Day.'
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The training materials in question are those provided to local clerks instructing them on ballot handling, voter file access, and equipment protocols across the state.
Rep. Joseph Fox, the Republican vice-chair of the House Election Integrity Committee, said in a
House Republicans suggested that elected representatives be granted secure
The department of state instead
According to Michigan
Michigan state Rep. Rachelle Smit.
Courtesy of Rachelle Smit
State Rep. Rachelle Smit, a Republican, said she has served as a clerk, 'and like thousands of other clerks, I had access to this information. My accessing it now shouldn't be controversial.'
'For seven months, we've given Secretary Benson every opportunity to sit down with us and discuss the training process for clerks and their staffs,' Smit said in a
Benson also said her office has 'repeatedly asked the members of the committee to meet with us over the last several months. They have refused.'
Disagreement Over Transparency and Security
The action follows numerous losses by Benson in state court rulings since 2020 that her guidance violated state and federal election law, as previously
Smit said legislative oversight of Benson's election administration is necessary because 'the training directives given by Secretary Benson have been deemed unlawful by Michigan courts seven times ... Secretary Benson has a proven record of failure, and the public deserves to check her work.'
Benson said the issue is a need to balance transparency and oversight with security.
'I do not work for the chair of the Oversight Committee. I do not work for the House Republicans. I work for the people of Michigan and I will not put their election security, or their votes, or their voices at risk,' she said.
'I look forward to now having this conversation in front of a judge in a court of law.'
House Democrat Leader Ranjeev Puri did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
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