Title
Michigan: Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Jocelyn Benson
Case Number
1:20-cv-01083
State or Country
Michigan
Judges
Assigned To: Janet T. Neff
Referred To: Phillip J. Green
Defendant
JOCELYN BENSON, in her official
capacity as Michigan Secretary of
State, MICHIGAN BOARD OF
STATE CANVASSERS, WAYNE
COUNTY, MICHIGAN, and
WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF
COUNTY CANVASSERS,
Plaintiff Attorney
Alexandra Seely
REPRESENTED BY
Mark F. Hearne , II
(314) 296-4000
Fax: (314) 296-4001
True North Law LLC
112 S. Hanley Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63105
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Cameron Tarsa
REPRESENTED BY
Mark F. Hearne , II
(314) 296-4000
Fax: (314) 296-4001
True North Law LLC
112 S. Hanley Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63105
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.
REPRESENTED BY
Mark F. Hearne , II
(314) 296-4000
Fax: (314) 296-4001
True North Law LLC
112 S. Hanley Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63105
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Eric Ostergren
REPRESENTED BY
Mark F. Hearne , II
(314) 296-4000
Fax: (314) 296-4001
True North Law LLC
112 S. Hanley Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63105
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Marian Sheridan
REPRESENTED BY
Mark F. Hearne , II
(314) 296-4000
Fax: (314) 296-4001
True North Law LLC
112 S. Hanley Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63105
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Matthew Seely
REPRESENTED BY
Mark F. Hearne , II
(314) 296-4000
Fax: (314) 296-4001
True North Law LLC
112 S. Hanley Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63105
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Mercedes Wirsing
REPRESENTED BY
Mark F. Hearne , II
(314) 296-4000
Fax: (314) 296-4001
True North Law LLC
112 S. Hanley Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63105
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Philip O'Halloran
REPRESENTED BY
Mark F. Hearne , II
(314) 296-4000
Fax: (314) 296-4001
True North Law LLC
112 S. Hanley Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63105
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Intervener
Andre Wilkes
REPRESENTED BY
Eugene Driker
(313) 596-9300
Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC
333 W. Fort St.
Ste. 1200
Detroit, MI 48226
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
211 W Fort St.
15th Fl
Detroit, MI 48226-3281
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Jon Greenbaum
(202) 662-8315
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1500 K St. NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Julie M. Houk
(603) 562-8309
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1500 K St. NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Stephen E. Glazek
(313) 596-9300
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
211 W Fort St.
15th Fl
Detroit, MI 48226-3281
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
The Michigan State Conference NAACP
REPRESENTED BY
Daniel M. Share
(313) 596-9306
Fax: (313) 983-3324
Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC
333 W. Fort St.
Ste. 1200
Detroit, MI 48226
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Eugene Driker
(313) 596-9300
Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC
333 W. Fort St.
Ste. 1200
Detroit, MI 48226
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
211 W Fort St.
15th Fl
Detroit, MI 48226-3281
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Jon Greenbaum
(202) 662-8315
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1500 K St. NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Julie M. Houk
(603) 562-8309
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1500 K St. NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Stephen E. Glazek
(313) 596-9300
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
211 W Fort St.
15th Fl
Detroit, MI 48226-3281
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Wendell Anthony
REPRESENTED BY
Eugene Driker
(313) 596-9300
Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC
333 W. Fort St.
Ste. 1200
Detroit, MI 48226
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
211 W Fort St.
15th Fl
Detroit, MI 48226-3281
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Jon Greenbaum
(202) 662-8315
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1500 K St. NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Julie M. Houk
(603) 562-8309
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1500 K St. NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Stephen E. Glazek
(313) 596-9300
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
211 W Fort St.
15th Fl
Detroit, MI 48226-3281
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Yvonne White
REPRESENTED BY
Eugene Driker
(313) 596-9300
Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC
333 W. Fort St.
Ste. 1200
Detroit, MI 48226
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
211 W Fort St.
15th Fl
Detroit, MI 48226-3281
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Jon Greenbaum
(202) 662-8315
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1500 K St. NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Julie M. Houk
(603) 562-8309
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1500 K St. NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Stephen E. Glazek
(313) 596-9300
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
211 W Fort St.
15th Fl
Detroit, MI 48226-3281
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Intervenor-Defendant
City of Detroit
REPRESENTED BY
Darryl G. Bressack
(248) 971-2500
Fax: (248) 971-2600
Fink Associates Law
38500 Woodward Ave.
Suite 350
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
David H. Fink
(248) 971-2500
Fax: (248) 971-2600
Fink Associates Law
38500 Woodward Ave.
Suite 350
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Nathan Joshua Fink
(248) 971-2500
Fink Associates Law
38500 Woodward Ave.
Suite 350
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Democratic National Committee
REPRESENTED BY
Brian Matthew Boynton
(202) 663-6044
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP
1875 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20006
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
John Walsh
(720) 274-3154
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP (CO)
1225 17th St.
Ste. 2600
Denver, CO 80202
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Joseph Mikhail Infante
(616) 776-6333
Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone PLC (Grand Rapids)
99 Monroe Ave., NW
Ste. 1200
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Jyoti Jasrasaria
(202) 654-1723
Fax: (202) 654-9522
Perkins Coie LLP (DC)
700 13th St., NW
Ste. 800
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Marc Elias
(202) 654-6200
Perkins Coie LLP (DC)
700 13th St., NW
Ste. 800
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Scott Robert Eldridge
(517) 487-2070
Miller Canfield (Lansing)
One Michigan Ave.
Ste. 900
Lansing, MI 48933
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Seth P. Waxman
(202) 663-6800
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP
1875 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20006
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Michigan Democratic Party
REPRESENTED BY
Brian Matthew Boynton
(202) 663-6044
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP
1875 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20006
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
John Walsh
(720) 274-3154
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP (CO)
1225 17th St.
Ste. 2600
Denver, CO 80202
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Joseph Mikhail Infante
(616) 776-6333
Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone PLC (Grand Rapids)
99 Monroe Ave., NW
Ste. 1200
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Jyoti Jasrasaria
(202) 654-1723
Fax: (202) 654-9522
Perkins Coie LLP (DC)
700 13th St., NW
Ste. 800
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Marc Elias
(202) 654-6200
Perkins Coie LLP (DC)
700 13th St., NW
Ste. 800
Washington, DC 20005
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Scott Robert Eldridge
(517) 487-2070
Miller Canfield (Lansing)
One Michigan Ave.
Ste. 900
Lansing, MI 48933
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Seth P. Waxman
(202) 663-6800
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP
1875 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20006
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Sheila Christine Cummings
(517) 643-2330
Fax: (248) 733-3666
Cummings & Cummings Law Group
423 N Main St.
Ste. 200
Royal Oak, MI 48067
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Document Links 1 (Scribd et. al)
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18619867/1/donald-j-trump-for-president-inc-v-benson/
Document Link 2
https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.miwd.99598/gov.uscourts.miwd.99598.1.2.pdf
Document Link 3
https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.miwd.99598/gov.uscourts.miwd.99598.1.3.pdf
Document Link 4
https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.miwd.99598/gov.uscourts.miwd.99598.1.4.pdf
Document Link 5
https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.miwd.99598/gov.uscourts.miwd.99598.1.5.pdf
Comments
SUMMARY OF THIS LAWSUIT
Our United States Constitution provides that state legislatures
determine the manner in which presidential electors are selected. U.S.
Const. Article II, Section 1. See also Chiafalo, et al. v. Washington, 591
U.S. ___ (2020). Justice Kagan, for a unanimous Court, wrote, “Every four
years, millions of Americans cast a ballot for a presidential candidate.
Their votes, though, actually go toward selecting members of the Electoral
College. Those few ‘electors’ then choose the President.” Id. The
Constitution assigns state legislatures the authority to prescribe each
state’s process for selection of electors.
The United States Constitution guarantees due process of law and
equal protection under the law. In an election for President and Vice
President of the United States, this means that states must conduct the
election in a manner that equally values each eligible citizen’s lawfully-cast
vote. The process for choosing Michigan’s sixteen presidential electors is
governed by the election code the Michigan Legislature adopted.
Michigan’s election code contains a host of provisions intended to
prevent fraudulent ballots from being counted. A fraudulent ballot, if
counted, disenfranchises a lawful voter. Michigan’s election code vests
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, as Michigan’s “chief election officer,”
with the responsibility to direct and oversee Michigan’s counties,
townships, and villages’ conduct of elections.
Unfortunately, Wayne County did not conduct (and is not
conducting) this election as required by Michigan law, and Secretary of
State Benson did not require Wayne County to follow Michigan’s election
code. Among other things, election officials in Wayne County refused to
permit statutorily designated challengers to observe the conduct of the
election and the processing of ballots. Some election officials pre-dated
ballots that were not eligible to be counted by altering the date the ballot
was received.
Ballots that are ineligible to be counted will cancel out ballots
Michigan eligible voters cast, effectively disenfranchising the votes cast by
Michigan citizens. The Michigan Election Code provides detailed rules for
the conduct of elections, and the Michigan Election Code should be
uniformly and equally followed by all Michigan election authorities so that
all Michigan voters have an equal opportunity to cast a lawful ballot.
We ask this Court to enjoin the Michigan board of state canvassers
and the Wayne County canvassing boards from certifying any tally of ballots containing fraudulent or unlawfully cast ballots. Likewise, we ask
the Court to enjoin the Wayne County canvassing board and the state
canvassing board from certifying any tally that includes ballots received
after election day and ballots that were processed when statutorily
designated challengers were excluded from a meaningful opportunity to
observe the processing of ballots. And finally, ballots that were tabulated
with defective or malfunctioning tabulating machines or software must be
excluded from the tally or hand-counted to confirm they are accurately
counted and may be included in any certified canvass.