(The Center Square) – Michigan House Republicans want Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to answer for election training materials she’s held tightly for five months.
On Tuesday morning, the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena to the Michigan Department of State for the release of election training materials to Rep. Rachelle Smit, R-Martin, head of the House Election Integrity Committee.
The Oversight Committee voted to issue the subpoena after Benson missed a Monday deadline to provide the documents.
Smit told the Oversight Committee her Election Integrity Committee tried to access basic election training material given to election clerks and stored in the Bureau of Elections Learning Portal but was “stonewalled.”
“We’re not talking about state secrets here; these are just basic election training materials regularly provided to Michigan clerks,” Smit said in a release. “Secretary Benson had five months and ample opportunities to be transparent and work with us to strengthen our election systems. She refused, leaving us with no choice but to issue a subpoena.”
Smit says Benson has a history of giving illegal guidance and rules to clerks and said a review of the training materials is critical.
“If Secretary Benson disobeys the law in her public rulemaking authority, how do we know she isn’t handing down similarly flawed guidance in the training materials she provides to clerks?” Smit said. “Legislators must review these materials and ensure election workers are receiving the most appropriate, up-to-date training guidance that’s developed directly in line with state law – not whatever portions of state law Secretary Benson decided fit her agenda this week.”
In a statement to The Center Square, Benson said the subpoena is unnecessary and the information requested is sensitive, containing information that could be used to compromise local election technology
“Unfortunately, the committee has hijacked what was supposed to be a legitimate oversight process,” Benson said. “They have made the committee chair – a single individual with no legal background – judge and jury with the power to force state employees to disclose sensitive election security information or face discipline. It’s now clear that the plan all along was to weaponize this process and continue to undermine the public’s faith in the security and legitimacy of our elections. We will take all necessary steps to protect the security and integrity of Michigan’s elections and are more than willing to make these arguments in court.”
