Mediation ordered in Michigan House lawsuit against Secretary of State Benson on subpoenas
Benson has provided some of the material sought by the Republican-led Michigan House Oversight Committee but has expressed concerns that some of the information requested could end up in the wrong hands.
The Michigan House filed its lawsuit against Benson in June, arguing that they have a right to review the material to ensure that election officials receive proper training that complies with Michigan election law.
Michigan Court of Claims Judge Sima Patel on July 25 ordered the parties in the case to appear for mediation with Court of Claims Judge James Robert Redford, requiring Benson and House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland, to attend unless they have a valid excuse. The order followed a July 22 hearing during which Patel made the ruling from the bench.
Two weeks before the mediation conference, the parties in the case must list the remaining materials subpoenaed that the Secretary of State's office hasn't delivered with a description of each.
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Benson said during a May news conference before the lawsuit was filed that she welcomed going to court over the fight with the Michigan House for election training materials and previously proposed having a third-party mediator from the judicial branch join a meeting with House legal counsel. She said handing over some of the information sought by lawmakers could make Michigan elections vulnerable to attacks such as an effort to tamper with equipment or impersonate an election official.
Michigan House Oversight Chair Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, has characterized the lawsuit as a way to hold Benson accountable and ensure government transparency. Michigan House Election Integrity Committee Chair Rep. Rachelle Smit, R-Martin, has said that lawmakers want to review the training materials following new election administration procedures. In recent elections, Michigan voters have given every voter the right to vote by an absentee ballot and established a new early voting system. "With how much has changed in state election law over the last few years, our legislators need to review those materials and ensure there aren't any holes or confusion in the training process," Smit wrote in a March statement.
Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mediation ordered in Michigan fight over election training materials
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