WOW! MI Dem SOS and Candidate for Governor, Jocelyn Benson SLAMMED with Explosive Discrimination Lawsuit – Accused of Creating “Racially Hostile Environment”
In a stunning display of hypocrisy from the heart of Democrat-controlled Michigan, four Black employees under the radical-left Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson have unleashed a bombshell civil lawsuit against her and other key staffers at the Michigan State Department, charging them with blatant racial discrimination and fostering a toxic, anti-black workplace. In addition to Jocelyn Benson, who is frequently in court fighting lawsuits where she is charged with making unlawful election practices or making elections less secure, her Chief of Staff, Christina Anderson; Labor Relations Manager, Brittany Edwards; John Strodbeck; and Chief Operating Officer, Jackie Venton, are also listed as defendants in the lawsuit.
The suit was filed on Monday in Wayne County Circuit Court and appears to be corroborated by a 2024 bombshell where another employee blasted Benson’s department for its “racially hostile environment.” Not shockingly, under the leadership of the state’s most NON-transparent Secretary of State in Michigan history, the state quietly shelled out a whopping $775,000 to settle that one— sweeping it under the rug like typical Democrat damage control.
Was Benson’s work as a summer associate for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, her role as the associate director of the Law School’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, and serving on the board of the hate group, The Southern Poverty Law Center, where she allegedly investigated white supremacists, simply a cover for how she really feels about blacks in America? Could it be that Benson is great at telling others how not to discriminate against black Americans but not so great at walking the walk herself?
The brave plaintiffs
The brave plaintiffs consist of three current Black staffers – David Murray, Elvine Vanbolden, and Mychael Foster – plus former high-ranking Nirva Civilus, who has been with the state for over 21 years.
They’re calling out Benson’s crew for a “widespread” pattern of retaliation against black employees who dare speak up about discrimination. “Defendants have no effective system in place to track, correct, or prevent this unlawful discriminatory conduct,” the complaint explains.
The fireworks don’t stop with the testimony of these 3 individuals—The lawsuit includes an affidavit from former Assistant Secretary of State Heaster Wheeler – a Black powerhouse who cited rampant racial discrimination as a top reason for ditching the sinking ship. Wheeler isn’t even a plaintiff, but his testimony is pure dynamite, pulling no punches on the department’s failures.
This legal gut-punch lands the SAME DAY Michigan’s first Black lieutenant governor, Garlin Gilchrist II, bails on his secretary of state bid, and just ONE DAY before the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus shamelessly endorses Benson’s gubernatorial run. Talk about tone-deaf timing – is this the “unity” Democrats keep preaching?
As usual, whenever her back is against the wall, whether it’s being caught committing voter fraud or making it easier for voter fraud to be committed in Michigan, Benson’s office is in full denial mode. They are labeling the claims against Benson as “absolutely false” and trotting out supposed “clear” policies on vehicle use and hiring. Spokeswoman Angela Benander parroted the party line: “The secretary and department leadership do not tolerate any harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.” Tell that to the black employees who felt targeted while working for her.
The complaint paints a damning picture of what it means to be a black employee working under Jocelyn Benson.
Black workers are reportedly held to impossible standards while white colleagues skate by. Promotions denied, endless “improvement plans” slapped on, and bogus investigations over state vehicles – all without any real policies in place. Wheeler’s affidavit nails it: No clear rules or training on vehicles, hiring, or discipline, leading to “biased application” targeting Black employees. He even confronted Benson directly – and she did NOTHING! That’s why he left his job in 2024.
Former bureau boss Angela Harness, who scored that $775K payout, backs it up in her own affidavit: The department “knowingly failed to take action” against the racially hostile environment.
In August 2025, Angela Harness, who had served as the former director of quality and customer experience for the Department of State, alleged that her authority and duties were reduced in late 2023, and that she was treated differently than “similarly situated White and male coworkers.” She had filed a notice of intent to sue in the Michigan Court of Claims against the department, Benson, and several department staff members.
The Michigan Department of State did not admit to wrongdoing in its agreement. They said, instead, the agreement was a way to avoid the cost and time of litigation.
A deeper dive into the victims’ stories:
Civilus, a top public engagement director, claims she was pressured to fire elderly employees based on their age, and when she refused, bam! Retaliation hit hard. Docked pay, threats of firing while sick with COVID, duties stripped, staff cut, no raises – all because she stood up. Then came the sham performance plan over “vehicle misuse,” which reportedly led to her indefinite suspension and November 2025 firing. According to Civilus, she lost her health benefits amid “very serious health issues,” and her reputation was trashed with bad-faith interviews. Benson’s office countered her claims with data showing Civilus clocked 142 days of vehicle use – triple the next highest – including weekends and holidays.
Murray, a Benson staffer since 2023, got passed over for a youth engagement gig in favor of a less-experienced white coworker – then faced heightened scrutiny, lost responsibilities, and vehicle-use accusations with ZERO training. Now he’s forced to commute from Detroit to Lansing weekly as “retaliation.”
Foster, a 22-year vet turned training specialist, has been complaining about unequal treatment since 2023. His reward? An overlong performance plan blocking raises and opportunities, stripped duties, longer commutes without mileage pay – all triggering emotional and physical breakdowns, forcing eight months of sick leave (five unpaid).
Vanbolden, a state manager since 2002, was straight-up called “racist” by her white director for hiring a Black candidate – then dinged on performance reviews for not following “DEI policy.” A later Black director piled on with an excessive improvement plan, costing her a 2025 raise. Is this the “equity” Benson’s task force was supposed to fix?
This lawsuit rips the mask off Democrat hypocrisy: A self-proclaimed champion of diversity like Benson, running for governor while her own Black employees have to sue her to be treated as equals at the Michigan State Department, where she’s the top dog. Will the NAACP express its outrage, or will it ignore the bombshell lawsuit because of the “D” after her name? And what about the “D” after her name? Will the Michigan and national Democratic Party leadership withdraw their support for Benson, now that the cat is out of the bag?
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