FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
October 6, 2020
Contact: Sam Inglot, sam@progressmichigan.org, 616-916-0574
Progress Michigan Statement on Republicans Using $542K in Public Funds to Sue Gov. Whitmer
MICHIGAN — Today, Progress Michigan released its findings that Republicans in the legislature collectively spent over half a million dollars for lawsuits against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s efforts to protect public health during global pandemic.
Progress Michigan requested information from the House and Senate Business Offices regarding what financial resources were used towards litigation of the Governor’s COVID-19 emergency declarations. They were contacted on September 30, 2020 and Progress Michigan received an official response on October 2, 2020.
The response Progress Michigan received from the business offices shows that each chamber spent $271,147.53 since March 1, 2020 in legal services on the MI House & Senate v. Whitmer case, totaling $542,295.06.
“Since the pandemic started, Michigan Republicans have focused more time, energy and public resources on fighting against public health protections than fighting the virus itself,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Make no mistake: these political games have cost people their lives and cost the public valuable resources that should have gone toward protecting families. They’ve spent over half a million taxpayer dollars to take political jabs at the Governor and do the bidding of corporate interests like the Michigan Chamber of Commerce who are only interested in protecting profits, not people’s lives. From masks, to these lawsuits, to misinformation and dishonesty, legislative Republicans have shown their contempt for the people they are supposed to represent throughout this crisis.”
Below is the original request Progress Michigan sent to the business offices pertaining to this matter and their responses linked.
To whom it may concern:
On behalf of Progress Michigan I am requesting the following information:
All financial records for any payments, contracts, pending payments or other financial materials relating to litigation by the Michigan House of Representatives involving 1945 PA 302, as amended, and/or 1976 PA 390, as amended, since March 1, 2020.
Please include any attachments that were part of these records and materials, such as word documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, or other types of documents.
This is an ongoing request.
If you deny this request in whole or part, please cite each specific reason for the refusal to release this information and notify me of the appeal procedures.
Response from House Business Office
Response from Senate Business Office
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