FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
October 21, 2013
Contact: Sam Inglot, sam@progressmichigan.org, 616-916-0574
LANSING — Earlier today, the head of Gov. Rick Snyder’s secretive and controversial NERD Fund said the nonprofit would be shutdown. Until recently, the NERD Fund paid the salary of Snyder’s right hand man, Richard Baird, as well as living expenses for Detroit Emergency Manager Kevin Orr and upgrades to Snyder’s home. It was announced last week that Baird would be moving onto the public payroll.
“Due to pressure from progressive groups like Progress Michigan, the NERD Fund will no longer exist, which is a victory for public accountability and transparency,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “However, the fund’s donors will not be disclosed, which raises serious questions about who was donating to it and who was having a say in serious policy decisions like Skunk Works and the hiring of Kevin Orr. Snyder needs to live up to his campaign promise of transparency going forward.”
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