Michigan Attorney General's office found Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated the Campaign Finance Act by holding her campaign announcement in a state building lobby, 2025; it found she acted under a mistaken belief, issued a reminder and warning, and imposed no fine

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On May 19, 2025, Joshua Booth, Opinions Division Chief of the Michigan Department of Attorney General, resolved three complaints that the Secretary of State had referred to the office, as the law requires when a complaint involves her. He determined that Benson's use of the lobby of the Richard H. Austin Building for a January 22, 2025 press conference announcing her run for governor violated section 57 of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act, which bars use of public resources for campaign purposes. The letter said she held the event indoors because of cold weather and was under a mistaken belief that she, or any other candidate, could use the lobby, and that the building's operator prohibits partisan events inside. Bridge Michigan reported that Booth did not find the violation was knowing. The letter dismissed the claims against her campaign committee and two other claims. The letter said the Act gives the Attorney General no authority to impose a fine or other penalty for a violation by the Secretary of State, so it issued a reminder and warning, called that the appropriate sanction in the circumstances, noted the Secretary of State often resolves such complaints the same way, and said the letter may be used as evidence of a knowing violation in a future proceeding. Asked about the finding, Benson campaign spokesperson Alyssa Bradley said, "We understand the attorney general is issuing a new interpretation of the law" (as reported by Bridge Michigan).

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