Benson Promises To End Undisclosed Corporate Influence, Voluntarily Comply With FOIA

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 11/06/2025) (ROYAL OAK) – Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Jocelyn Benson told around 120 supporters Thursday night that, if elected, she will eliminate "undisclosed corporate influence" in Michigan policymaking and voluntarily subject herself to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

Benson spoke at Fifth Avenue in downtown Royal Oak, a sports bar and nightclub known to be a hot spot for Oakland County Democratic gatherings. Attendees included Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Bloomfield Twp.), who endorsed Benson last week, and Reps. Jasper Martus (D-Flushing), Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor), Jimmie Wilson Jr. (D-Ypsilanti) and Natalie Price (D-Berkley).

Democratic Secretary of State candidate Aghogho Edevbie, Benson's deputy secretary of state, was there along with Amanda Treppa, a candidate for Michigan's new 10th state Senate district covering Royal Oak. Treppa is running against Price for the state Senate seat.

“We all survived 2020. 2020 was challenging across the board,” Moss said. “Jocelyn didn't flinch. (Detroit Mayor) Mike Duggan was cozying up to corporate billionaires. (U.S. Rep.) John James (R-Shelby Township) was figuring out how to win an election. Meanwhile, Jocelyn was standing in front of her home while armed protesters tried to intimidate her, and she didn't back down.”

If elected governor, Benson said her administration will start with ending corruption in politics. She said there would be no more dark money, undisclosed corporate influence, secret deals and that, as governor, "I will sign into law the strongest transparency and ethics laws in the nation."

She added that Michigan needs to reform how homes are built, making purchasing a home more accessible to farmers, nurses and teachers. She also pointed to further reforming Michigan's auto insurance statutes, although they were substantially updated in 2019.

Furthermore, she talked about continuing to expand the RX Kids program, which provides cash payments to households for the first six to 12 months of a baby's life. The latest state budget injected $250 million into the program.

"We need to make childcare free for working families, and I say this, as a mom, you shouldn't have to choose between taking care of your kid and paying your electric bill," Benson said.

Benson's remarks in Royal Oak lasted around 13 minutes. However, she did speak to the media for around 10 minutes, while musician Chappell Roan's "Femininomenon" and Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)" blasted over the speakers. Some of her questions and answers included:

Detroit News: You have a big commitment to transparency, (the Freedom of Information Act) and everything. All due respect, we heard that from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as well. She didn't subject herself to FOIA . . . why should people believe you?

Benson: "Look at my record as Secretary of State. We've not only expanded FOIA in our office, we actually created a portal online that people, everyone has access to our FOIA requests. I know transparency is our friend, both in ensuring people have faith in our elections and that we trust the government. So as governor, I'll proudly, voluntarily comply with FOIA, just as I've done my entire professional career to date."

MIRS: We've seen this occurrence in the last couple of years where, in a primary, one candidate is so high up in the polls and we never see a primary debate. Are you open to having a primary debate?

Benson: "Of course, yeah . . . we're all friends. We talk all the time. I think we're all aligned in our vision for the state and making sure that we are demonstrating that the Democratic Party is a party that sees people and struggles and does something about them. So I appreciate my other friends who are in this primary race as well with us, and enjoy the robust dialog that emerges on all fronts into how we can best ensure the best candidate."

Detroit News: Do you think the MEDC should be eliminated?

Benson: "I do think it needs to be reformed significantly. I think we're losing too many projects to other states, and I think we need to have a strategic vision for an economic agenda that invests in people, invests in workforce development, ensures that it's easy to start a business and grow your business in the state. I want to make it as easy to grow and start a business in Michigan as it is to get your license."

Detroit News: So what would you change about the MEDC?

Benson: "I'm someone who likes to bring all the voices to the table as we develop policies and visions . . . so right now we're having those conversations. What's working, what's not, and those will continue not just over the year ahead but during my tenure as governor . . . there's a lot of people who care about making sure our economic development corporation and our work to develop an economy and a workforce in Michigan is moving forward with all the best practices and is data driven."

"All the smart people are working on this on both sides of the aisle, including former governors who have struggled with this . . . what's working in other states – what's working in Ohio? What's working in Indiana? How can we make it even easier to grow a business here and to innovate and make sure that when we put out our plan for the future of economic development in our state, it's people-driven? It's investing in places, and it's taking all these smart ideas into consideration."

MIRS: If the Legislature decides to do an end-of-year supplemental or fall supplemental, what do you think absolutely needs to go in it?

Benson: "How much time do you have? I mean, I think we need to take for real the fact that Medicaid has been gutted at the federal level, and the impact that that's having on our providers around the state, on patients, on hospitals, on rural hospitals . . . is dire, and so I certainly think supplemental funding to support our healthcare system is necessary, but it has to be patient driven and take into consideration the needs of our rural communities."