LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan Freedom Fund is reminding the state that it’s been 33 days since the Court of Appeals ordered Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to released FOIA documents and comply with a court ruling, and the delay is costing taxpayers money.

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Benson’s office and the release of said documents have been the focus of a battle for nearly four years.  Tori Sachs, who now works for Michigan Freedom Fund but filed the FOIA request while working for Michigan Rising Action, wrote an op-ed piece in The Detroit News last month highlighting the back-and-forth with Benson’s office.

In the op-ed, Tori Sachs alleges that the documents are tied to Benson’s “handling of massive campaign finance violations by her political ally, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and a nonprofit that illegally ran television ads supporting Whitmer’s campaign for governor in 2018.”

Sachs told Michigan News Source, “We believe there are internal emails and conversations between [Benson] and her team about why they reduced the fee Whitmer was forced to pay for illegal coordination,” she said. “Why did Benson decide not to fine Whitmer the standard $2 million and only give her a slap on the wrist for $37,000?”

“[Benson’s office] is just ignoring us now,” Sachs said. “They truly believe the rules don’t apply to them.”

However, two courts ruled the rules do apply to them. According to Sachs, the judges in the case have reviewed the documents and determined their contents need to be released.

Benson’s office did not have a comment and told Michigan News source they “continue to review the ruling.” Her office has until September 1 to release the documents or file an appeal.

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“They say they want transparency,” Sachs said. “We want publicly available documents,” she said.