Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson Scrutinized Over SPLC Ties

Michigan House Republicans released newly obtained records that they say show Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson kept a working relationship with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) after taking office in 2018. The SPLC was federally indicted in April on charges of wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to launder money, accused of funneling more than $3 million in donor funds between 2014 and 2023 to individuals linked to extremist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the National Socialist Movement.

Benson served on the SPLC’s board of directors from 2014 through 2018, overlapping the period covered by the indictment. Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox filed legal papers against Benson, alleging her board membership may have conflicted with her duties as a state official. The controversy emerges as Benson, a Democrat, runs for governor and has faced prior criticism over election‑related actions.

State officials, including Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, emphasized that the SPLC’s alleged activities involved “secretly funnel[ing]” money to hate groups rather than dismantling them. The SPLC denies the allegations.