St. Clair Today

Michigan Rep. Shane Hernandez (R-Port Huron) asked a special legislative committee to look into contracts given to the Democratic campaign operatives by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration.

The governor's administration gave special no-bid COVID-19 contracts to those operatives, according to Michigan House Republicans. 

Hernandez is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and said that he gathered information for the Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

He has concerns about how the governor's administration handled the committee and the awarding of the contracts, especially since the administration gave out contradicting information concerning the issue.

On April 17, Whitmer's administration told the media that NGP VAN wasn't being considered for a contract, according to Hernandez.

In Hernandez's research and documents, it is shown that contracts to affiliates of NGP VAN were signed on April 14. Then on April 17, the contracts were finalized, according to Michigan House Republicans.

Once Hernandez and other lawmakers raised concerns and questioned the contracts, Whitmer's administration canceled them on April 21.

“The Legislature will get to the truth of this matter,” Hernandez told Michigan House Republicans. “Just because the governor realized a mistake had been made and the contracts were canceled, she can’t just sweep it under the rug and pretend it never happened. I am demanding answers from the governor because the people of Michigan are demanding answers.”

Hernandez said he is looking for other information on contracts held by political vendors and is inquiring about the prevention of health data potentially being used for political purposes. 

“The governor has been operating the state’s response to COVID-19 with no oversight, no transparency and no representation for the people of Michigan,” Hernandez said, according to Michigan House Republicans. “That’s how mistakes are made. Her unilateral decisions reached, with no checks and balances, are hurting people across the state. That’s why I will do everything in my power to hold her accountable and give people a voice in this process.”