St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

State Rep. Steve Carra Jonathan Lindsey (R-36) said politicians from the "radical left" are "making our elections ripe for fraud" and he is working to ensure election security and accuracy for the state. 

"Protecting my authority to determine the time, place, and manor of conducting elections is about preserving the rights of the people in a Constitutional Republic," Carra told St. Joe-Benton Harbor News. "When millions of dollars are spent from out of state to deceive voters using snake oil salesmen techniques, it's important our state has recourse and litigation by legislators seems to make perfect sense in this situation."

"The radical left is doing what they do best, making our elections ripe for fraud," he said. "JFK democrat politicians are a thing of the past, these democrats are tyrants, socialists, and corporate elitists. We are losing our country and the misinformation about what's actually happening in our country is tragic. We must secure our elections."

On July 1, Carra and ten other Michigan legislators filed their principal brief with the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Their appeal challenges what they perceive as violations of their constitutional rights regarding the regulation of federal elections.

The legislators’ original lawsuit was filed after amendments made in 2018 and 2022 by the state of Michigan changed election laws in a way that did not require approval from state legislatures. This was in violation of Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, known as the Elections Clause, which grants state legislatures the explicit authority to oversee the time, place, and manner of federal elections, according to a release from Michigan Fair Elections.

The original lawsuit was dismissed in April 2024 by a District Court, citing lack of standing rather than the merits of their case, meaning the court determined the legislators were not the proper group to bring the issue to a court. 

“If I, as a legislator, don’t have standing to say election laws are being passed without legislature approval, then who does?” Carra, who is also the leader of the House Freedom Caucus, said. “The Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution protects legislative authority to determine the times, places, and manner of elections.”

State Rep. Jonathan Lindsey (r-17) also found issue with the court’s statement. “I disagree with the judge's decision to deny my right as a legislator to protect the role granted to me by the U.S. Constitution,” he said. “When a federal judge misuses their power by denying a valid case to be heard, it damages our entire body politic. I am pleased we are appealing this decision.”

The lawsuit, formally known as Case No. 1:23-cv-1025, names Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, and Jonathan Brater, Director of the Bureau of Elections, as defendants. It centers on amendments that introduced substantial changes to Michigan's election laws, including provisions for same-day voter registration, early voting periods, and alterations to in-person voting procedures.

The eleven legislators who are plaintiffs in this case are State Sens. Jonathan Lindsey (R-17) and Jim Runestad (R-23), and State Reps. Steve Carra (R-36), James DeSana (R-29), Joseph Fox (R-101), Neil Friske (R-107), Matt Maddock (R-51), Brad Paquette (R-37), Angela Rigas (R-79), Joshua Schriver  (R-66), and Rachelle Smit (R-43).