Feds sue Michigan, five other states over statewide voter rolls

(FOX 2) - The federal government has named Michigan in a lawsuit against six states, alleging they failed to provide statewide voter rolls. 

The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division announced Thursday it was suing Michigan, California, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania for failing to produce the registration lists upon request.

Federal prosecutors said the U.S. Attorney General is the public figure tasked with enforcing the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act, which were intended to make sure states maintain proper voter registration files. 

The Michigan Secretary of State said the lawsuit was part of an "unconstitutional power grab."

What they're saying:

Announcing the suit in a press release, the assistant attorney general at the civil rights division said states are "required to safeguard American elections by complying" with federal election laws.

"Clean voter rolls protect American citizens from voting fraud and abuse, and restore their confidence that their states’ elections are conducted properly, with integrity, and in compliance with the law," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

The other side:

In response to the lawsuit, Secretary Jocelyn Benson warned the federal government's request was "not normal."

"Why is this happening now? Why does the federal government want access to everyone’s personal information? I have asked them these questions. Other secretaries of state – both Democrats and Republicans – have also asked them these questions," she said in a statement. "They refuse to give us a straight answer."

Benson added her department gave the DOJ "exactly what they are legally entitled to" and that it was overreaching by requesting data that includes "private, personal information of more than 8 million state residents. That includes people’s driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personally identifiable information.

"I told them they can't have it," she added.