LANSING, Mich. — State Representative James DeSana (R-Carleton) held a news conference Tuesday to announce articles of impeachment against Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who is also a candidate for governor. The resolution accuses Benson of engaging in corrupt conduct, violating constitutional rights, and abusing her power.
The impeachment effort stems from Benson’s refusal to provide unredacted election training materials to House Republicans, who argue that the documents are necessary for oversight. Benson, however, has maintained that releasing the materials would compromise election security.
“As a legislator and lifelong resident of the State of Michigan, it is my belief that we are dealing with the most lawless Secretary of State in Michigan,” DeSana said during the announcement.
Benson responded sharply to the impeachment move, calling it a “clown show” and accusing Republicans of abusing their authority to access sensitive election information. She warned that such actions could enable election tampering, interference with ballot custody, or impersonation of election officials.
“This isn’t oversight or transparency,” Benson said in a statement. “It is Republican lawmakers abusing their authority to access sensitive election information that would allow them—or any conspiracy theorists they share it with—to tamper with election equipment, interfere with the chain of custody of ballots, or impersonate a clerk on Election Day.”
She called on House Speaker Jason Wentworth and his caucus to work with the Secretary of State’s office and a judicial mediator to find a resolution, stressing her commitment to election security and responsible governance.
In addition to the refusal to share election materials, DeSana accused Benson’s Michigan Legacy PAC of making an $82,500 donation in 2024 to the campaign of Democratic Supreme Court candidate Kyra Harris Boulden. DeSana suggested the timing was questionable, given that the Supreme Court was hearing arguments in the case O’Halleron v. Benson at the time.
DeSana also alleged that Benson violated the U.S. Constitution by banning open-carry firearms within 150 feet of polling places on Election Day and claimed discrepancies between electronic and paper copies of Michigan’s qualified voter file.
This marks the third time in five years that House Republicans have introduced articles of impeachment against high-profile Democrats. Previous efforts targeted Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 and Attorney General Dana Nessel in 2023, though those resolutions were largely symbolic and did not proceed.
The current impeachment resolution’s future remains uncertain, with Democrats controlling the Michigan Senate, where any impeachment trial would take place.
