Incoming House Speaker Matt Hall is planning an expansive oversight committee that will carefully scrutinize Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration and other aspects of state government, a Republican source familiar with Hall’s thinking tells The Midwesterner.
According to the source, Hall plans six Oversight subcommittees, including:
- Weaponization of State Government
- Child Welfare System
- Corporate Subsidies and State Investments
- Public Health and Food Security
- Homeland Security and Foreign Influence
- State and Local Public Assistance Programs
Hall’s creation of subcommittees is unprecedented and reflects an anticipated vigorous investigation into Whitmer’s policies and decisions in particular. But it’s expected the subcommittees will also be reviewing Attorney General Dana Nessel’s actions, as well as those of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
Go Ad-Free, Get Content, Go Premium Today - $1 Trial
MORE NEWS: Inauguration protests in Michigan, D.C. draw only a fraction of 2017 turnout: ‘People are tired’
For example, The Midwesterner previously reported on the numerous Republican activists and operatives who have been charged with serious crimes during Nessel’s tenure, while she ignored accusations that the Michigan Democratic Party treasurer allegedly committed insurance fraud.
The source tells The Midwesterner Hall is intending to change the culture of Lansing to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used solely for the public benefit.
The Democrat legislature and Whitmer awarded subsidies to two politically connected companies, Fay Beydoun’s Global Link International and Complete Health Campus in Clare. After public outrage, Democrats introduced a bill to “claw back” the combined $45 million. It went nowhere. The Corporate Subsidies and State Investments subcommittee has the potential to find other abuses of taxpayer dollars.
Neither the Oversight Committee chairman nor subcommittee leaders were revealed, but Hall’s anticipated plan gives the Oversight Committee its most significant oversight authority in Michigan legislative history. The Oversight Committee has subpoena power for documents and can subpoena individuals with a House vote.
Go Ad-Free, Get Content, Go Premium Today - $1 Trial
One of the last such instances was when former Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon was forced to testify about his role in Gretchen Whitmer’s harsh coronavirus lockdown orders and his subsequent confidentiality agreement barring him from speaking about his time serving under Whitmer.
The sources told The Midwesterner that Hall’s goal is to restore public trust in state government and scrutinize expenditures of money taken from Michigan taxpayers.