Recusal

Michigan House Republicans have introduced House Bill 5968, which would require the deputy secretary of state to take over as "chief election officer" whenever the sitting secretary of state runs for an office other than reelection. The bill responds to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's campaign for governor; Benson, the Democratic nominee, voluntarily adopted a "firewall" policy in May recusing herself from election oversight tied to her race, delegating those duties to Elections Director Jonathan Brater while retaining final policy authority.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Wortz argued voluntary recusal isn't enough since Michigan law has no ethics provision requiring it, citing similar proposals in Arizona and Utah. The reassignment would exempt constitutionally required duties like election audits. Democratic Rep. Mai Xiong questioned why local clerks running for office weren't similarly addressed, while Rep. Matt Koleszar noted Michigan doesn't require a deputy secretary of state to be appointed at all. Benson faces U.S. Rep. John James in the November 3 general election to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Hanahan, South Carolina's City Council meeting on September 8 turned contentious as members traded accusations over the city's ongoing legal battle with developer Ray Wrenn and a proposed committee to probe the city's real estate dealings. Mayor Christie Rainwater told council that a judge had dismissed Wrenn's appeal of a zoning board denial and ruled in the city's favor on his due process claims, finding the city's 2008 review standards applied to his Bowen's Corner subdivision. The dispute dates to 2024, when the city denied Wrenn's building permits after he failed to submit engineering plans showing fire trucks could access the development's alleyway. Claims that the city violated open records law remain pending.

Rainwater said the litigation could have been avoided had council approved a 2024 amendment to Wrenn's development agreement, a measure that failed 3-3. She suggested council members who voted no did so to avoid upsetting Wrenn, prompting a heated exchange with Councilman Tim Crowley and Councilwoman Amanda Colvin-Shea, who walked out before the meeting ended. A separate real estate investigative committee proposal also failed after several members recused themselves.