LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – There’s a new proverbial sheriff in town, and this one won’t let Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson ignore the law.
Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Martin) is leading the way when it comes to election integrity in Michigan. She’s not backing down from Benson’s months-long procrastination regarding requested election training materials.
Smit: Benson can “whine all she wants.”
Rep. Smit, who serves on the House Oversight Committee and is a former clerk herself, released a statement to Michigan News Source late last week after Benson bragged about “transparency.” The week prior, Benson’s office released the first 1,900 pages of election training documents she said were demanded in a House subpoena which was served after months of stonewalling the request. At the time, Smit said they weren’t the documents requested.
Benson’s office has a history of doing things her own way, including refusing to clean up the voter rolls. Her office only recently started that task.
In addition, Benson continues to repeat her concerns about protecting “sensitive information” she claims are in those documents.” She said, “Releasing material that would reveal security feature information or other sensitive information jeopardizes the process. This is true even if those seeking the information are well-intentioned, because each time sensitive information is released, its potential for intentional or accidental disclosure to those who would misuse it increases.” On one hand, Benson touts herself as a titan of transparency, yet will charge exorbitant amounts of money for simple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Rep. Smit isn’t buying any of it. “The Secretary of State can whine about our subpoena all she wants, but the law is the law, and she can’t choose to just ignore us because that’s more convenient for her,” Smit said. “We have a responsibility to ensure she’s doing the right things and properly training our clerks.”
“Homework is due Tuesday.”
Secretary Benson sent a letter which attempts to clarify why she dragged her feet on the request from the House committee for months. Smit equated Benson’s actions with a student not willing to do her homework. “If a teacher assigns a student homework with a clear due date, that student can complain and procrastinate all they want,” Smit said. “But that deadline is still coming whether they like it or not. Homework is due Tuesday, Secretary Benson.”
