Michigan Republican Party and RNC sue Secretary of State

(CBS DETROIT) - Rules on who can vote in Michigan elections are at the center of a new lawsuit filed by the Michigan Republican Party and the Republican National Committee.

The lawsuit, filed yesterday, claims that Michigan Secretary of State Benson's rules for who can vote are too broad. The RNC and Michigan GOP claim that U.S. citizens who have never lived in the United States but have a parent, guardian, or spouse who last lived in Michigan are eligible to vote, which is a violation of Michigan's constitution.

"This is really this is the most unpatriotic lawsuit I've seen yet," said Mark Brewer, an attorney and the former chair of the Michigan Democratic Party.

Republican leaders say those voters favor Democratic candidates. But Brewer disagrees and says this move is part of a plan to further disenfranchise voters in Michigan.

"Who could they be? They could be the children of military people serving overseas who may have never lived in Michigan, but they are United States citizens, and they are entitled to vote," Brewer said.

In response, Benson's office said it's "disappointing" to see this lawsuit that could impact military families.

"This time, they're targeting the voting rights of United States citizens and their families living overseas, including the children of active-duty military service members who are making sacrifices for our freedoms," Benson's office said in a statement.

The chairman of the Michigan Republican Party was unavailable for an interview on Wednesday but issued the following statement: "Jocelyn Benson, despite what she may think, cannot ignore Michigan's electoral laws. Citizens who have never lived in the state of Michigan shouldn't vote in Michigan. That's common sense," said Chair Pete Hoekstra.