LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — In a letter to state House Oversight Committee Chairman Matt Hall sent on Tuesday, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson declined an invitation to participate in hearings on the 2020 general election out of concern that they are “amplifying already debunked conspiracy theories and previously disproven claims of people who lack basic knowledge of election administration, and in doing so undermining the integrity of the election and wounding our democracy.”
Benson noted that Attorney General William Barr, the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and countless local election clerks on both sides of the aisle, as well as judges and justices appointed by Republicans and Democrats, have found the election was secure and the results are accurate.
Benson said she looks forward to opportunities to speak with state lawmakers about reforms and improvements for future elections.
“Particularly beneficial legislation that already has bipartisan support would provide election clerks more time to process absentee ballots before Election Day, and give military members and their spouses overseas the opportunity to securely return their ballots electronically,” Benson wrote.
A copy of Benson’s letter is available here.
On Wednesday, Hall issued a statement in response.
“This is about people, not politics,” Hall wrote. “The electoral votes for Michigan have been submitted. But people in Michigan still have questions about their state’s elections and those questions deserve answers. I fear we are headed for more distrust in the future if people are denied clarity and transparency from officials who head up the process.”
His statement can be viewed here.
