LANSING, Mich., January 25, 2021 – This morning, the Detroit News reported that the non-profit “Michigan Public Health Institute” has come under fire for its close ties to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and a lack of accountability surrounding “millions of dollars in government spending”.
The non-profit has been used to “execute contracts on behalf of the state health department” but “is not subject to the same audit, contract bidding and open records protocols”. This is not the first time the non-profit has come under fire, after it “was used to establish a nearly $200,000 contract with a Democratic-linked group” for the COVID pandemic response, a move that was condemned by the Michigan Republican Party at the time and the contract has since been canceled.
“Transparency is paramount when serving the people of this great state, and it’s time for Governor Whitmer to honor her campaign promise and open up her administration to the Freedom of Information Act.” said Michigan Republican Party Chairman Laura Cox. Cox continued, “The Whitmer administration has used this organization to get around accountability and give big contracts to her Democrat allies. Governor Whitmer could fix this situation with a single executive order today, allowing FOIA protocols in her office. Unfortunately, Governor Whitmer is likely to continue to allow her administration to operate in the shadows.”