Credit Lester Graham / Michigan Radio
The state House Oversight Committee approved a subpoena Thursday to require former state health department Director Robert Gordon to testify.
Republicans have questions on the use of confidentiality agreements when Governor Gretchen Whitmer and top administration officials parted ways. Also whether Gordon differed with Whitmer’s decisions on the state’s COVID-19 response.
Representative Steve Johnson (R-Wayland) is the oversight committee chair. He said the committee’s been looking into the Whitmer administration’s use of confidentiality deals.
“And now we are to the point where I would like to move forward with issuing a subpoena,” he said.
GOP slams Whitmer for out-of-state trip, Gov. says criticism is maddening
The governor says the criticism is maddening.
and last updated 2021-04-20 22:23:24-04
LANSING, Mich. â While the Michigan Republican Party continues its attacks, Governor Gretchen Whitmer calls the criticism of her out-of-state trip âmaddening.â
At a press conference in Lansing Tuesday, state GOP leaders and legislators slammed Governor Whitmer for traveling out of state at the same time she was urging people to stay home to help limit a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Daren Bower
Michigan GOP Press Conference
âIf you want to have trust in this government, you need to be a leader, and this governor has failed to be a leader that we can trust,â Rep. Steve Johnson (R-Wayland) said.
House committee takes first step to subpoena ex-health director
The House oversight committee has passed a resolution allowing itself to authorize subpoenas.
and last updated 2021-04-15 22:31:43-04
LANSING, Mich. â Michiganâs House Oversight Committee took the first step in granting themselves subpoena power to get former Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon to testify over why he abruptly left his post in January.
Gordonâs departure has been under scrutiny after a $155,000 separation agreement was uncovered, which required Gordon and Governor Gretchen Whitmerâs administration to maintain confidentiality about what led to him leaving.
The confidentiality clause was eventually waived, but Gordon nor Whitmer have provided any additional details, other than the governor saying there were, ânot any improprieties in Director Gordonâs work.â
GOP lawmakers call for investigation as Whitmer faces scrutiny for quiet payout to ex-health director
Governor Whitmer bristles at calling separation agreement hush money.
Michigan Republicans claim the $155K paid to Robert Gordon after he resigned was hush money.
and last updated 2021-03-03 00:49:39-05
LANSING, Mich. â Governor Gretchen Whitmer is facing a rash of criticism after a confidential separation agreement came to light, showing former Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon received a $155,000 payout after abruptly resigning from his post in January.
The state GOP and Republican lawmakers are now calling on Attorney General Dana Nessel to open an investigation into that agreement and others. They say the deal raises more questions about the governorâs response to the pandemic and the transparency of her office.
Michigan lawmakers hold hearing, seek answers about nursing home deaths amid pandemic
Witnesses at hearing called for change to visitation policies
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LANSING, Mich. – In a hearing on Thursday about Michigan’s COVID policies and nursing homes, lawmakers said they’ve been given the runaround from the state Department of Health and Human Services on critical data, before witnesses testified in hopes of relaxing visitation policies.
The hearing was initially meant to probe whether the state’s nursing home policy designated them as “hubs” for COVID patients. Similar policies were used in four other states including in New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration was found to have been undercounting certain types of COVID deaths among nursing home patients, effectively lowering the number of deaths attributed to virus spread in nursing homes.