Secretary of State Latest State Official to Blithely Ignore Laws

[XLFD]

Since Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer began the state lockdown ten weeks ago, there have been a lot of laws bent, a lot of personal liberties ignored, in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.  These are part of the record, little more needs to be said.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has been a willing minion of the governors in carrying our her orders in a most troubling way.  Whether it is taking issue with routine marketing by stores, shutting down non-profit food distributors for ambiguous reasons, or bulldogging barbers and hairstylists offering their services safely, Nessel has chosen the governor's arbitrary orders over the old codified laws made by the legislature, and the Michigan Constitution.

Until recently, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has remained out of the spotlight on the power grab being led by the other two Democrat women, who all share the distinction of being elected in the fall of 2018, along with a Democrat-friendly recreational marijuana proposal.  The third musketeer finally entered the realm of quasi-legality and took it upon herself to send every registered Michigander, about 7.7 million people, an application for an absentee ballot for August and November elections.

“By mailing applications, we have ensured that no Michigander has to choose between their health and their right to vote,” said Benson. “Voting by mail is easy, convenient, safe, and secure, and every voter in Michigan has the right to do it... Mailing applications to all registered voters is one of the ways that we are ensuring Michigan’s elections will continue to be safe, accurate and secure.”

President Donald Trump heard about the proactive plan, and tweeted a response shortly thereafter (reproduced above) he noted that the roguish action was unauthorized and done illegally, and inferred that the action would lead to voter fraud.  She put up the response above, claiming she was well within her power to do what she did.  But was it really? 

The $4.5 million it takes to print out and mail all of these applications to every voter came from the federal coronavirus relief fund (CARES).  There appears to be no guidance in using those funds to print and mail out unsolicited absentee ballots; had there been some money earmarked for 2020 elections by proper authorities, it would have been more fiscally responsible to adapt the polling places for safe voting and provide protection for election workers.  Such expenditures were not part of the legislation, which would seem to indicate that this may be a wasteful, improper expense, which may just be illegal under federal law.

But even if it is not, Michigan law appears to prohibit such mass mailings of absentee ballot applications.  Statute MCL 168.759 requires voters who wish to receive an absentee ballot request it in writing from their city or township clerk.  The secretary of state has no role in distributing absentee ballots or their applications, it must be requested by a citizen. 

She has broken the law in order to make the process ultimately less accountable and more complex.  If the gentle reader feels otherwise, please argue that point and address what happened in Wisconsin earlier this year and the known fraud and disenfranchisement that goes along with absentee ballots.

Also be advised that a 2008 Michigan Court of Appeals decision involving the Macomb County clerk, ruled against her sending absentee ballot applications to every voter over the age of 60. The ruling noted that election law is expressly under the Legislature's control and "the power to mail unsolicited ballot applications to qualified voters is not expressly stated anywhere in (the) statute."

President Trump's assertion is correct and our complicit corporate media should be focused on why our secretary of state is ignorant about her own duties, and why she feels the need to waste $4.5 million on an action she has not the power to do when people are suffering because of the governor's capricious shutdown plan.  She along with Whitmer and Nessel need to have a serious reality check (i.e. recall election) on the absolute powers they've adopted in this crisis to the detriment of most Michigan citizens. 

[XLFD]

Thanks for Du-ing that research, I can't wait to see the full details which are sure to come in the future upon disclosure of more facts and will likely show this disaster could have been avoided with sensible and consistent actions and policies.

[Willy]

Good information Du. Wihtmer should do her research before opening her mouth. She sounds like she knows nothing about privately owned power stations.

[Du Wright]

You're welcome, X. There was an inaccuracy in my summary. The MI EGLE has had "regulatory authority" over the Edenville dam since Oct. 2018, so about 18 months, not quite two years. I'm trying to figure out what that authority means. I'm not sure Whitmer knows they have authority, she has not admitted any that I hear of. She blames the disaster all on Boyce, and yes, he was terribly neglient, but will his claim that he was pressured to fill up the lake just two weeks before the dam gave way hold up in court? SOS Nessel's spokes people are already claiming that Boyce made the application and signed the papers. EGLE just approved it. I think Boyce will need very good lawyers to prove their side after years of citations. Yes it will be interesting to see the chain of events unfold.
Meanwhile the village of Sanford has lost every business to either collapse or mud damage, although their spirit to clean up is Strong. Most homes in the village were flooded with mud, a few were washed away. The same is true for the riverside of town in Midland and the Dow Chemical cleanup ponds may have been flooded.

[Willy]

Add to the 3 radical leftist, the Governor, Attorney General and Sec. of State who have Michigan in lockdown and violating everyone's Constitutional rights a fourth leftist participant. Cynthia Stephens a judge on the Michigan District Court of appeals. She has sided with the other 3 tyrants to allow Whitmer to lockdown Michigan indefinitely. She was appointed to the court in 2008 by then Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm who happens to be another radical leftist. I cannot think of a time when this many like minded politicians controlled an entire populations fate and future and did it so negatively and against the public interest. This is what happens when progressive leftists are in control. Whitmer has been given the green light to do what ever she wants to whom ever she wants. The only thing stopping Whitmer and her radicals would be the Michigan Supreme Court. If Whitmer's tyranny is not stopped Michigan could go into a deeper depression. 

[Willy]