Michigan Secretary of State Faces Impeachment Articles
Allegations of overstepping authority and election mismanagement have led to the introduction of impeachment articles against Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The move, spearheaded by Republican State Representative Jim DeSana, charges Benson with failing to fulfill her duties transparently and securely.
During a press conference, DeSana emphasized the legislative role in defining electoral authority. “Her job is to run the Secretary of State’s office and to run elections. We make the law that determine[s] what is the authority over the election. She cannot make that law,” he stated.
The impeachment initiative highlights several grievances, notably Benson’s interaction with journalists within a state office building lobby while announcing her run for governor. Though the Michigan Attorney General’s Office identified this as a probable campaign finance law breach, it abstained from further action due to jurisdictional limits. Benson defended her actions by inviting other candidates to utilize the same space.
Benson’s management of the 2020 presidential election also features prominently in the impeachment resolution. Despite numerous audits affirming President Donald Trump’s defeat, the controversy persists.
In response, Benson criticized the impeachment attempt as a misuse of power, aimed at accessing and potentially compromising sensitive election data. She stated, “I believe in oversight and I believe in transparency. This isn’t it.”
She further elaborated, “This is Republican lawmakers abusing their authority to access sensitive election information that would allow them — or any conspiracy theorists they share it with – to tamper with election equipment, interfere with the chain of custody of ballots, or impersonate a clerk on Election Day.”
Benson appealed to Speaker Hall and his caucus for mediation, expressing her commitment to election security and calling for more productive governance efforts.
Recently, House Republicans censured Benson for incomplete compliance with records requests from the House Oversight Committee, indicating a shift in focus from the impeachment resolution.
House Speaker Matt Hall’s spokesperson, Gideon D’Assandro, confirmed this direction, stating, “Speaker Hall is working with Oversight Committee to enforce the House’s subpoena against Benson and finalizing a budget plan that will hold her department accountable for its many failures.”
Meanwhile, Democratic House leaders view the impeachment proceedings as a diversion from critical legislative tasks, such as the state budget. Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri stressed the urgency of focusing on pressing issues, noting, “We’ve talked about, at length, about everything that’s at stake right now. What’s coming our way from the federal government and the budget that’s being done in D.C., and that should be our singular focus right now.”
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