‘Assault On Transparency’: RNC Sues Detroit After Ballot Drop Box Footage Deleted

The Republican National Committee sued Detroit on Tuesday, accusing city election officials of violating Michigan law by deleting surveillance footage of an absentee ballot drop box.

Michigan resident Jonathan Koch, whose request for footage monitoring a ballot drop box in the city was denied by officials last month, filed the suit alongside the RNC. Koch and the RNC allege that Detroit’s Department of Elections violated Michigan Freedom of Information Act laws by getting rid of the footage.

The suit argues that Detroit got rid of the requested footage even as there was an active request out for it that was filed before state law allows the footage to be purged.

“Deleting drop box surveillance footage while there is a pending FOIA request for it is an assault on transparency,” said RNC chair Michael Whatley. “This breach of trust is exactly what reduces confidence in our elections. We will hold Detroit accountable, as this secrecy has no place in a fair and secure election — Michiganders deserve far better.”

On August 20, Koch requested footage monitoring a drop box at Wayne County Community College from August 7 and August 8 during Michigan’s primary election. By September 16, Koch was informed by Detroit election officials that they no longer had the footage because they don’t keep footage after 30 days.

In the denial letter from the city of Detroit, Koch was told by an official that he “was informed that video is no longer available after 30 days and is recorded over.”

However, state law mandated that the footage be kept until September 6, which was well after Koch filed his request on August 20. The request also asked for all records on construction and installation of the drop box.

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The RNC argued that Detroit had a “clear legal duty to retain video surveillance of absent vote ballot drop boxes after receiving a timely FOIA request for such public records.”

“Specifically, the response indicated that the video surveillance records were recorded over after thirty (30) days, despite Koch’s request having been received fourteen (14) days after the record was created and sixteen (16) days before the record could be deleted,” the suit added.

For resolution, the RNC asked for a judge to order Detroit to adhere to its footage retention policies going forward and declare that the city had violated Michigan public records law.