Michigan SOS Jocelyn Benson Put Her Finger On The Scale, Gets Her Wrist Slapped

Michigan's Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a partisan Democrat, has been working hard to influence the election in Michigan in favor of the Democrats.

She tried to have Cornel West kept off the ballot, as that crazy proggy would draw a share of Black and hard progressive Democrat voters away from Que Mala Harris.

At the very same time, she tried to keep RFK Jr on the ballot, because he would likely draw off an element that would otherwise vote for Trump. Keeping him in play and West off would potentially swing the projected to be very close election here in favor of Harris.

She's now lost both attempts in court:

WDET: Cornel West is back on Michigan’s presidential ballot, judge rules

The Detroit News:  Michigan appeals court orders RFK Jr. removed from November ballot

Now, she is appealing both decisions to the Michigan Supreme Court. The Court's Democrat majority there may perhaps decide the issues on the basis of partisanship rather than law.  We shall see.

This is indeed the same Jocelyn Benson that has been previously had illegally attempted to ban carry at polling places, and had illegally ordered clerks during the 2020 election not to verify signatures on absentee ballots, again favoring Democrats and opening the doorway for shenanigans with unverified ballots being counted.

So, our Secretary of State is rather definitively partisan and has been using election laws and regulations in a rather partisan fashion.  Since she very much runs those who count the votes, expect further electoral shenanigans to favor the Democrats from the person who should be instead focusing on making sure this is a clean election.

Politifact and Michigan's Secretary Of State

Poltifact does a bit of rehabilitation of Jocelyn Benson's prior acts, and then really decides to be less than forthcoming about the effect of Zuckerberg's et al.'s outside funding of elections.

Politico: Before election, Michigan Republicans blast Secretary of State Benson for her oversight of last one 

Interestingly Politifact tends to gloss over the Michigan Court of Claims nailing her for illegally deciding that clerks did not need to verify signatures on absentee ballots, and omits quite a few other things she did in the 2020 election that were rather questionable.

Then they get to quite an interesitng observation about outside funding, mainly from Mark Zuckerberg et al, that when actually looked at paints a rather different picture than what they claim was an even-handed funding to both Republican and Democrat locales as they state they both received grants:

Democratic- and Republican-leaning communities received election grants

Over the past two years, Republicans have railed against private grants distributed to elections offices in 2020 from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which received millions of dollars from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Republicans have dubbed the donations "Zuckerbucks" and allege the funds were funneled to Democratic-leaning communities to boost turnout in those places.

. . .

More than 450 Michigan municipalities received grants from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, according to tax filings. That included a large $7.4 million grant for Detroit — the state's largest voting jurisdiction — which went for President Joe Biden. It also included donations to smaller communities Trump won, such as Macomb County's Chesterfield Township, which received a $16,545 grant, and Ottawa County's Allendale Township, which secured a $15,398 grant. 

Looks totally fair right? Democrat stronghold gets $7.4 million, and Republican township in a Democrat County got $16,545.00. Sounds totes the same, doesn't it?

So let's dig into this a little deeper.

Detroit, with 246,562 voters in the last presidential election that went 233,908 for Biden (95%) received $30 per voter in that election from Zuck et all to get out the vote, and essentially $28.50 for each Democrat vote.

Meanwhile Chesterfield Township, which went 63% Republican and had 25,822 voters of which 16,421 voted Republican,  and 9,401 voted Democrat  received 64 cents per voter, or all of 40 cents per Republican vote.

This seems totes the same thing, right?

Sure, some Republican-majority communities got some funding, to make it appear at first glance the funding was non-partisan.  But it appears to be less than a pittance compared to the millions poured into Democrat strongholds to help drive the vote in 2020 - for example, New York City received the largest grant of $19 Million).

In short, Zuckerbucks sure as heck helped the Democrats in 2020, no matter how Poiltifact wants to gloss over or paint those facts.

How To Make A Mockery Of What Was A Prestigous Award In One Easy Step

Courage used to mean something other than knowingly breaking and manipulating the laws you are elected to enforce and covering for your political party, but here we are:

The Detroit Free Press: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson honored with JFK Profile in Courage award

Verily, Profiles in Courage aren't what they used to be. 

But Jocelyn Benson has won what used to be the prestigious Profiles in Courage award, apparently for her "courage".

Courage most notably her acts  referenced by her messing with election security and ballot verification, making verification of absentee ballots and signatures impossible in the State of Michigan, to thereby ensure victory for her party:

The Detroit News: Judge rules Benson's ballot signature verification guidance 'invalid'.

But wait, there's more acts of courage on her part that should be celebrated:

Courage by attempting an illegal infringement on the rights of Americans well beyond her powers and law:  Benson announces ban of open carry of a firearm at voting locations

Courage in attempting to hide progressive darling criminals' records from the public eye:   Michigan Secretary of State Goes Full-On Woke - Tries To Censor Info To Protect A Criminal

 Courage to commit campaign finance violations: Secretary of State Benson accused of campaign finance violations

And lest we forget, the courage to support treating Michigan citizens differently based on their race: Upholding Ending Affirmative Action Leads To The Tantrums Of The Clowns.

Such Courage.  Much Democrat backscratching.  Wow.