2nd Court Loss For Benson Who Continues To Hide Public Documents Relating To Settlement With Whitmer Groups Over Illegal Coordination
LANSING, MI – The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson must release documents relating to her office’s handling of massive campaign finance violations by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and a nonprofit that illegally ran television ads supporting Whitmer’s campaign for governor in 2018.
The Court of Appeals ruling upholds a previous ruling from the Court of Claims demanding Benson release the documents that are being withheld from a 2019 FOIA request by Tori Sachs, now the Michigan Freedom Fund’s executive director.
The Center Square reports: FOIA-seeking conservative group awaits fulfillment of court order by Michigan secretary of state
“The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled against Benson last Thursday, requiring her office to release the documents in response to a FOIA initially sought by Michigan Rising Action.
“At issue was a fine administered by Benson’s office against Build a Better Michigan, a group that spent $2.4 million on ads Benson determined was coordinated directly with then-gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer. Some of those ads were found to have violated Michigan campaign finance law by directly referring to Whitmer’s candidacy.
“The investigation began during the tenure of former Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, a Republican, in 2018. After assuming office in January 2019, Benson, a Democrat, fined Build a Better Michigan $37,500. Whitmer, who went on to win office, was not fined at all.”
Executive Director Tori Sachs writes in today’s Detroit News: Benson should provide public documents
“…Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has repeatedly gone to court to withhold public documents related to her 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.
“A ruling last week from the Court of Appeals demanded Benson come clean about the scandal and release the documents. But that wasn’t the first time a court ruled in our favor on these hidden documents.
“We are once again demanding Benson release the documents as two courts have already ruled she must.”
The Court of Appeals ruling can be viewed in its entirety here.
The Michigan Freedom Fund works to advance conservative ideas, hold our government accountable to taxpayers, and protect Freedom, opportunity, and workers’ Constitutional rights. For more information, please visit MichiganFreedomFund.com.
