The Michigan Supreme Court rejected a Wayne County resident’s bid to revisit the certified electoral outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Robert Davis, a Detroit-area activist who previously sued former Gov. Rick Snyder, claimed Michigan Secretary of State Joyce Benson exceeded her legal purview by mailing absentee ballot applications to all residents. In a 6-1 ruling handed down on Tuesday, the court disagreed, stating that most of the judges were “not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this Court.”
The initial challenge was filed in June when Davis asked the Court of Claims to issue a preliminary injunction that would have ceased the mailings. Davis lost in two separate rulings where several judges found the secretary of state was vested with the power to mail out applications.
“As chief elections officer, with constitutional authority to ‘perform duties prescribed by law,’ the Secretary of State had the inherent authority to take measures to ensure that voters were able to avail themselves of the constitutional rights established by Proposal 3 regarding absentee voting,” Judges James Robert Redford and Jonathan Tukel wrote in the majority opinion of a split 2-1 decision last summer.
The ruling comes as many Republicans in various levels of government continue to challenge the results of the presidential contest held in November. A group of House Republicans recently met with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in a strategy session where the elected officials discussed avenues for refusing to certify the Electoral College’s vote when it is placed before Congress on Jan. 6. Reps. Mo Brooks, Jody Hice, Jim Jordan, and Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene reportedly partook in the meeting.
Trump’s legal team has continued to pursue litigation in a string of lawsuits across the country since President-elect Joe Biden’s win was certified by the Electoral College. In addition to the Michigan lawsuit, those seeking to challenge the election tallies have recently filed an original jurisdiction case with the United States Supreme Court that seeks to overturn three previous rulings from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
While the lawsuits are unlikely to be met with success, the president has encouraged his supporters not to give up hope, inviting people from across the nation to partake in a planned protest the day Congress is scheduled to certify the outcome.
“See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it. Information to follow!” teased Trump in a tweet on Sunday evening.
See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it. Information to follow!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2020
