Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson broke campaign finance laws, but due to a bizarre loophole in state regulations, she faces zero consequences for her actions.
Key Takeaways
- Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated Michigan’s Campaign Finance Act by holding a gubernatorial campaign press conference in a state government building
- Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed the violation but claims she lacks authority to enforce penalties against Benson
- Republicans have criticized the lack of accountability, questioning if the Secretary of State is “above the law.”
- The enforcement loophole exists because the Department of State, which Benson herself leads, holds sole authority to issue fines
- The incident has prompted calls for legislative action to close gaps in Michigan’s campaign finance enforcement system
Another Democrat Official Above the Law
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has been found in violation of the state’s Campaign Finance Act for using a government building to announce her gubernatorial campaign, yet will face no consequences. Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed the violation occurred when Benson moved her campaign launch indoors to the Richard H. Austin Building in Lansing, citing cold weather concerns. Despite this clear breach of state law, which prohibits the use of public resources for political activities, Nessel claims she lacks the authority to penalize her fellow Democrat.
“Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated a campaign finance law her department oversees by hosting a campaign press conference in a government building, according to Attorney General Dana Nessel, a fellow Democrat,” stated Attorney General Dana Nessel.
— Dalton Dvorak (@dalton_dvorak) April 10, 2025
Convenient Enforcement Loophole Protects Democrat Official
The bizarre situation stems from what appears to be a deliberate gap in Michigan’s campaign finance enforcement system. While the violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, the authority to impose such penalties lies solely with the Department of State—the very agency Benson herself runs. When confronted about the fact that other candidates had been barred from using the building for similar purposes, Benson offered a dismissive response, claiming ignorance while defending her actions as merely preventing frostbite.
“That’s good to know, but it’s never, certainly never come to my attention. This was an effort to make sure that no one’s getting frostbite,” said Jocelyn Benson.
Michigan Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, have sharply criticized both the violation and the failure to hold Benson accountable. “Interesting how Dana Nessel thinks suing the President every week is within her scope of practice but enforcing election law in Michigan is somehow out of her hands,” stated Aric Nesbitt.
Calls for Legislative Reform Growing
Political activist Christian Charette expressed deep concern about the damage this situation inflicts on public trust in government. “The entirety of the American justice system relies on the notion that no one is above the law. When the notion is violated … the people lose faith,” said Christian Charette.
“Prohibiting candidates from conducting press conferences and other partisan political activities in a government office building” has a reasonable purpose. It prevents interference with “entering, exiting, moving throughout, and conducting business in the building,” stated Dana Nessel.
Despite acknowledging the violation’s seriousness, Nessel’s office has only issued Benson a warning. Monica Ross-Williams, who filed one of the complaints against Benson, plans to escalate the matter to the State Board of Ethics and is urging legislators to address the enforcement gap. The situation highlights a troubling double standard in Michigan’s Democrat-controlled government, where political insiders appear immune to the same laws they enforce against others. Until legislative reforms are enacted, this self-serving loophole will continue to undermine electoral integrity in the state.
