It’s clear that Gov. Whitmer’s administration specifically sought out a political vendor through a political operative for a no-bid contact tracing contract and then claimed the process wasn’t political.
August 14, 2020
MDHHS Director Confirms Staff Sought Out Political Vendors For No-Bid Contract
During today’s Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon contradicted previous statements both he and Governor Gretchen Whitmer made on why a no-bid contract for contact tracing was awarded to two Democrat campaign vendors.
Director Gordon confirmed to Chairman Matt Hall that MDHHS staff sought advice from Ed Duggan, who at the time was a political appointee in the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, on vendors to hire who had “field organizing experience.” Gordon admitted this led to “looking at a pool of entities with political affiliation which in retrospect we should have avoided.” Duggan, who is the son of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, now works for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.
Watch:
Gordon claimed earlier in his testimony, “the staff involved were not political animals and did not have the political experience to know the platform in use was also used for political campaigns.”
Back in April, Whitmer said, “I do know the (MDHHS) does not have a political bone in their theoretical body.”
It’s clear that Gov. Whitmer’s administration specifically sought out a political vendor through a political operative for a no-bid contact tracing contract and then claimed the process wasn’t political. – Tori Sachs, executive director of Michigan Rising Action