Former Michigan state Sen. Patrick Colbeck told a House Election Integrity Committee this week that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson “only follows a law she agrees with,” accusing her of issuing unlawful guidance and selectively enforcing election laws. He called Michigan’s voting system “opaque, unaccountable, and riddled with discrepancies,” highlighting a 350,000‑ballot gap in the qualified voter file from the 2020 election—far exceeding the margin of victory—and lamented the refusal to comply with subpoenas, mail absentee material to ineligible voters, and ignored signature‑verification rules.

 

 

Colbeck urged a full forensic audit—not just recounts—to restore trust, pointing to 71% of Detroit absentee boards being “unbalanced,” where ballot totals didn’t line up with poll books. He demanded transparency legislation, access to QVF transaction logs, voting machine reforms, and federal investigations. He accused Benson of conducting a “three‑card monte” with the public by offering an illusion of transparency while withholding key information.