Gov. Whitmer used taxpayer money to buy the former state health director’s silence and went from falsely calling this type of agreement common to dropping the confidentiality clause.
March 18, 2021
Whitmer Caves to Pressure to Reveal Details of Shady Hush-Money Agreement
Governor Gretchen Whitmer and former Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon have agreed to waive the nondisclosure clause of the severance agreement that included a $155,506 taxpayer-funded payment upon his abrupt departure earlier this year. Whitmer recently refused to discuss Gordon’s departure, citing the NDA in the agreement and falsely saying they are commonly used. Now, Whitmer is backtracking.
Crain’s Detroit Business reported this morning: “After backlash, Whitmer and Gordon waive nondisclosure clause of ex-health chief’s $155,000 separation deal.”
Michigan Rising Action’s executive director called for Whitmer and Gordon to end the confidentiality clause last week. Whitmer and Gordon have not yet publicly answered why a hush-money agreement was needed in the first place or the remaining questions on his departure and tenure leading the state’s health department – including overseeing nursing home policy and ordering shutdowns.
Gov. Whitmer used taxpayer money to buy the former state health director’s silence and went from falsely calling this type of agreement common to dropping the confidentiality clause. Whitmer and Gordon must now answer for why a taxpayer-funded hush-money agreement was needed in the first place. – Tori Sachs, executive director of Michigan Rising Action