The RNC is suing Detroit over concerns of ballot drop box surveillance footage deletion, raising serious questions about voting process transparency and integrity. The lawsuit targets Detroit’s alleged violation of the Freedom of Information Act. The RNC underscores challenges in accessing the footage due to Detriot’s 30-day automatic deletion policy. Detriot labels the lawsuit as an attempt to undermine election confidence.
RNC Launches Legal Action Against Detroit
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has initiated legal proceedings against Detroit’s Department of Elections. The lawsuit claims that Detroit illegally deleted surveillance footage from a ballot drop box. This deletion potentially violates the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as the RNC had submitted a request for the footage in August following an election security concern raised during the primaries.
Jonathan Koch, collaborating with the RNC, sought footage from an “Absent Voter Ballot Drop Box” at Wayne County Community College for August 7 and 8. The RNC aims to prevent similar incidents, especially as the nation looks toward the 2024 election. This move signifies increasing vigilance in ensuring election processes’ transparency, especially in major urban centers like Detroit.
Breaking: RNC sues Detroit over deleted ballot dropbox surveillance footage after FOIA request https://t.co/STTWHJrcAC
— Just the News (@JustTheNews) October 16, 2024
FOIA Request and City’s Response
Detroit acknowledged receipt of the FOIA request but asked for an extension to reply. Subsequently, the city informed Koch and the RNC that the footage had been recorded as part of a routine 30-day automatic deletion policy. This sequence of events has fueled the RNC’s argument that deleting footage amidst a pending FOIA request violates the Act.
According to RNC Chairman Michael Whatley, this incident represents an attack on transparency and shakes the confidence in election processes. The RNC sees this lawsuit as a necessary step to hold Detroit accountable and to safeguard election integrity in upcoming polls.
RNC Sues Detroit for Deleting Dropbox Surveillance Footage
⬇️⬇️⬇️https://t.co/F4Wou0W4Vy pic.twitter.com/IgXQ3us6aI
— RNC Election Integrity (@RNCVoteProtect) October 17, 2024
Detroit’s Stance on the Allegations
Detroit officials have criticized the lawsuit, dismissing it as baseless and suggesting it intends to erode trust in their election operations. The city maintains that the routine deletion policy is transparent and follows due protocols. They argue their delayed response to the FOIA request led to the footage being unavailable, not an intended decision to hinder transparency.
This case becomes part of broader concerns nationally over election integrity, with previous tensions having surfaced between the RNC and Detroit regarding poll worker recruitment. The RNC assures its commitment to safeguarding lawful procedures and protecting crucial footage from erasure, ensuring similar mishaps do not occur in future elections.
