Detroit Accused Of Deleting Ballot Drop Box Surveillance Footage After Republicans Asked To See It
SUMMARY
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has sued the City of Detroit for allegedly deleting surveillance footage from absentee ballot drop boxes after the party requested access to it. RNC Chair Michael Whatley criticized the deletion, calling it “an assault on transparency” that undermines public confidence in elections. The lawsuit, filed on October 15, claims that the Detroit Department of Elections violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by allowing the footage to be deleted. The RNC had sought footage from a drop box at Wayne County Community College related to the August 6 primary. Although the city initially requested a 10-business-day extension for the RNC’s request, it later stated that the footage had been automatically deleted after 30 days. The RNC argues that its request was made 16 days before the scheduled deletion and is seeking a court ruling to hold Detroit accountable for its actions.
