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The Michigan Secretary of Statehas been “swatted” twice at her home in the span of 48 hours.
Jocelyn Benson revealed on X that she had been a target of the harassment, which involves making a fake 911 call that can lead to a heavily armed SWAT team being dispatched to someone’s home. Benson, 46, has served as Michigan’s secretary of state since 2019.
“Hateful rhetoric and violent threats have no place in our democracy,” Benson wrote. “Yet twice in the last 48 hours my home was targeted in a disturbing ‘swatting’ attack.”
Benson denounced the swattings as “horrific, dangerous” and a form of “political violence.”
“These threats never have and never will deter me from my job: ensuring Michigan citizens can have confidence in their secure, fair, accurate elections,” she continued. “I will continue to stand with election professionals throughout Michigan to guard every citizen’s vote no matter who they are, where they live, or who they vote for.”
Benson has long advocated for an end to violence against election workers, particularly in the wake of false statements peddled by far-right politicians, including Donald Trump, that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
Four years ago, armed pro-Trump protesters went to Benson’s home to stage a demonstration, baselessly claiming the 2020 election was stolen
Last year, Benson spoke in favor of Michigan laws to toughen penalties for those who harass election workers or expose their public information online — known as doxxing.
“We cannot have a secure democracy if we do not protect the security of the people who administer, protect and stand guard over our elections,” Benson said last year. “The status quo is unsustainable.”
Benson previously told The Independent women who serve as election officers are often disproportionately targeted by politicians like Trump who peddle false election claims.
“I think the attacks on women, not just coming from the former president but many of his most ardent supporters and others, are particularly pernicious and particularly personal and all the more offensive,” Benson said in 2022. “I think my most important concern is that they not serve as a deterrent for women to serve in times like these because we need all voices at the table now more than ever.”
Earlier this year, Benson testified before a US Senate committee about the risks of election misinformation and the role artificial intelligence plays.
“The realities of AI underscore the need for federal investment in our elections,” Benson testified. “AI introduces a level of speed, scale, and sophistication that is difficult for under-resourced state agencies to counter alone. Federal funds help us support and bolster our state cybersecurity infrastructure in this evolving threat environment.”
