{UAH} A QUESTION HANGING OVER A MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE

The $1.5 Billion QUESTION Hanging Over A Michigan Democrat Candidate!

By Javier Sanchez | Saturday, 03 August 2024 01:00 AM

Image Credit : Finews

In a recent development, the political watchdog group, Americans for Public Trust (APT), has called upon the Michigan inspector general to scrutinize allegations against Democratic congressional candidate Curtis Hertel Jr.

The charges suggest that Hertel may have exploited public funds and political connections to secure a lucrative position in the healthcare sector. The request was made in a letter that was exclusively shared with The New York Post.

Curtis Hertel Jr., a former state legislator and member of a well-known Michigan political family, is currently campaigning to represent Michigan's 7th Congressional District. This race is considered one of the most competitive in the current cycle. According to the New York Post, the letter alleges that Hertel misappropriated taxpayer funds while serving as a lobbyist for Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He is accused of facilitating the allocation of millions to a healthcare company that subsequently employed him.

Hertel, who was Whitmer's director of legislative affairs when her administration passed an $82 billion budget last year, was deeply involved in the negotiations. Concerns were raised when the budget allocated $1.5 billion to the Greater Flint Health Coalition, an organization led by a former colleague of Hertel's. Shortly after the budget was passed, Hertel resigned from Whitmer's administration to take up a position at the healthcare organization, a move that raised eyebrows given the recent financial boost he had helped orchestrate for the company.

Hertel's campaign financial disclosures reveal that his new position at the Greater Flint Health Coalition pays him an annual salary of $108,000. The President of the Coalition, Jim Ananich, who served with Hertel in the state Senate from 2015 to 2022, confirmed that he had discussed the possibility of Hertel joining the company while Hertel was still working in the governor's office. However, Ananich dismissed any insinuations that the hiring was politically motivated, stating to The Detroit News, "He's a talented guy, and these are big projects."

Hertel's ties to Michigan's health industry extend beyond his own career. His wife, Elizabeth Hertel, serves as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director, an agency that has been involved in procuring contracts for the Greater Flint Health Coalition. The letter to the inspector general echoes claims made in a 2023 Detroit News article, which highlighted the close, behind-the-scenes relationships between groups seeking state government assistance and officials in positions to provide it.

In response to the Detroit News story, Hertel denied any personal involvement in the allocation of the $1.5 million to his future employer. However, his general involvement in negotiating the budget is undeniable. Upon his resignation, the Whitmer administration lauded him for "successfully leading negotiations on behalf of the Governor, securing the historic 'Make it in Michigan' budget."

APT is urging the Michigan inspector general to probe the connections between Hertel's political and private affairs. APT director Caitlin Sutherland expressed hope that the letter would prompt Hertel and his campaign to provide some answers. Sutherland told The Post, "While we would encourage him to respond to a reporter’s inquiry, you really cannot ignore a governing body of the situation," noting that Hertel had previously ignored questions from the Detroit Free Press on the scandal.

APT, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, is committed to restoring public trust in government by holding politicians and political groups accountable for corrupt and unethical behavior. "We have filed complaints on both sides of the aisle against Republicans and Democrats, calling for investigations to take a look at corrupt and unethical behavior," Sutherland stated.

Despite the allegations and the request for an investigation, Hertel's congressional campaign did not respond to The Post’s request for comment before publication. However, after the story was published, campaign spokesman Sam Kwait-Spitzer told The Post, "Curtis Hertel left government and started working for a nonprofit dedicated to fixing our broken health care system." The question remains whether Hertel's transition from public service to the private sector was entirely above board, or if there is indeed a case of unethical behavior to answer for.

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