LANSING, MICH—New Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido told WXYZ 7 Action News in Detroit that criminal charges are possible against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer if it is found that there’s been “willful neglect” of office.
“If we find there’s been willful neglect of office if we find there’s been reckless endangerment of a person’s life by bringing them in then we would move forward with charges against the Governor. Of course, we would. Nobody’s above the law in this state,” Lucido told 7 Action News.
Lucido, the chief law enforcement officer for the 3rd largest county in Michigan, says people who lost loved ones to COVID as residents or staff inside nursing homes should go back to get the vital information about the circumstances of their death and take all information to local police. He is instructing Macomb County police agencies on how to process, verify and deliver the information to his office.
HIPAA laws, according to Lucido, prevents him from gathering the information in his own investigation.
News that prosecutors are considering criminal charges comes as Republicans in the Michigan state legislature plan hearings into a $155,000 secret deal between Whitmer and former Health Department director Robert Gordon, who abruptly resigned in January. At least three other similar secret deals have been uncovered since.
“Gov. Whitmer and her administration continue to refuse to answer questions regarding nursing home deaths,” said Ted Goodman, Communications Director for the Michigan Republican Party. “Michiganders deserve to know the true impact of Gov. Whitmer’s orders and we need transparency, now.”