There is a troubling message in the pardons that President Donald Trump issued last week to dozens of his allies who used lies, threats and intimidation tactics to block the accurate results of the 2020 presidential election. It’s clear, too, in the pardons he issued for those who took part in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. This president believes that there is one justice system for those who do Trump’s bidding and another for the rest of us. This double standard can be seen in the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and in Justice Department activities that effectively trample on the Constitution almost daily. They give a bright green light to anyone looking to disrupt, attack or otherwise undermine free and fair elections in the future.
In Michigan, several people have already gotten the message. In the past month, two statewide Republican candidates — one seeking the nomination for governor, the other for U.S. Senate — have repeated and amplified the president’s lies about the 2020 election. Nearly two dozen state Republican lawmakers last week asked Trump’s Justice Department to take over the administration of our state’s elections, citing misinformation and conspiracy theories.
As Michigan’s chief election official, I’ve experienced what happens when election lies and conspiracy theories run rampant.
This is a dangerous path. I know, because as Michigan’s chief election official, I’ve personally experienced what happens when election lies and conspiracy theories run rampant: They turn into real, violent threats against the professional election administrators and other state and local officials who work every day to secure our democracy.
One night in December 2020, two days after Rudy Giuliani “testified” at a sham state legislative committee hearing in Michigan and spread falsehoods about the security of our elections, armed protesters descended on my home. Inside, my then 4-year-old son and I were decorating for the holidays. As we sheltered in place for the better part of an hour while we waited for police to arrive, I was scared. But I was also determined to protect the voters of Michigan. And no one, no matter how powerful or threatening, was going to deter me from defending the Constitution and protecting the will of the people.
In Michigan, we are countering Trump’s green light with a stop sign. In our state, attempts to sabotage election results will have consequences. People can still face criminal charges under state law and will still be held accountable in our state courts.
After 2020, Michigan increased state penalties for election interference and for disruption of voting or the election certification process. We also banned the use of artificial intelligence to spread misinformation about voting. These state laws enable us to seek consequences in state courts for anyone who, without evidence or facts, would seek to manipulate or illegally block our election processes and results.
It’s important to see Trump’s pardons as more show than substance. Even as he tries to protect himself and his buddies, the law — and justice — still applies to all. Presidential pardons will not protect anyone from facing state charges for election interference; state charges fall outside the president’s purview. The individuals whom the president pardons can and will face consequences in Michigan and in other states if they try to interfere with our ability to hold safe and secure elections. In our democracy, the power of the people must always be greater than the people in power. This is why state laws and state and local officials — from governors, attorneys general and secretaries of state to local election administrations — are so critical in this moment. At a time when the Trump administration is using every tool at its disposal to undermine fair and free elections, leaders unwilling to bend the knee to this president and his autocratic whims are democracy’s guardians. I’m proud to be a secretary of state who has stood up to the president and his allies, even when threats of violence descend on my doorstep, just as so many of my colleagues have done and will continue to do across our nation. Come what may, we don’t let threats from anyone — no matter how powerful or wealthy — shake us from our commitment to defend the Constitution, follow the law and protect the voice and vote of fellow Americans. In our democracy, the power of the people must always be greater than the people in power. The 2026 elections are less than a year away. They are a chance for all of us to remind this president that his powers are not limitless, that there are indeed still checks and balances in this country. They come from state officials with the moral courage to hold the line and from the voters who refuse to be silenced.
Jocelyn Benson is Michigan’s secretary of state and a Democratic candidate for governor in 2026. She is the author of “The Purposeful Warrior: Standing Up for What’s Right When the Stakes are High.” 
