LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Jonathan Lindsey and Rep. Angela Rigas on Wednesday introduced legislation to hold the secretary of state accountable for campaign finance violations.
Senate Bill 422 and House Bill 4642 would provide a critical amendment to the Michigan Campaign Finance Act (MCFA) by closing a loophole that allows the secretary of state to evade accountability for campaign finance violations.
Lindsey and Rigas introduced this legislation after Attorney General Dana Nessel’s recent finding that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated the MCFA yet faced no consequences due to a lack of enforcement mechanisms. The bills would create these enforcement tools and drastically improve accountability for such violations.
Lindsey emphasized the urgent need for this reform.
“No one should be above the law, yet current law allows the secretary of state to evade accountability,” said Lindsey, R-Coldwater. “Secretary Benson’s failures in office are evident, and her violation of the MCFA is not surprising given her pattern of disregarding the rules. This legislation will implement the necessary measures to ensure that no secretary of state can violate the law without consequence.”
The legislation requires complaints involving the secretary of state, their family, or connected campaigns to be referred to the attorney general for impartial investigation and resolution of the complaint. It establishes clear procedures for addressing violations through informal resolutions, civil fines, or criminal penalties, while ensuring transparency by mandating public disclosure of complaints and agreements.
“This bill is about restoring trust in our electoral system,” said Rigas, R-Caledonia. “No one, especially not the secretary of state, should be immune from accountability. We’re fixing a broken system to ensure fairness and uphold the law.”
Rigas and Lindsey called on their colleagues to support the bill and strengthen Michigan’s campaign finance laws and protect the integrity of the state’s elections.
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