State employees likely violated some procurement rules in awarding a no-bid contract to a Democratic-connected firm earlier this year to perform contact tracing related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the findings of a report from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
There is no evidence of an intentional violation, though, and there are no criminal penalties ascribed in law for any violation of procurement rules, her office stated in a 29-page investigative report.
Nessel s office also found no evidence anyone involved in the awarding of the contract committed any criminal act, the report states.
“With the benefit of hindsight, there may have been a better way to accomplish the (Department of Health and Human Services ) ultimate purpose but we found no evidence of criminality, Nessel said in a news release.
Lansing Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said her office found no evidence of criminal conduct after investigating a state contract for tracking the spread of COVID-19 that involved a Democratic political consultant.
Nessel released a 29-page report Wednesday on her staff s inquiry into the agreement with Great Lakes Community Engagement, which is tied to Democratic consultant Michael Kolehouse.
However, the report noted that the Attorney General s Office was unable to interview three critical individuals, including a central figure in the arrangement, Andrea Taverna, the Department of Health and Human Services senior adviser on opioid strategy.
Taverna was in charge of developing the contact tracing program. Also, Lynn Sutfin, spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, and Sarah Lyon-Callo, the state s top epidemiologist, didn t agree to interviews, according to the report.