Former Michigan health director who resigned abruptly to testify in Thursday House hearing mlive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mlive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Apr 24, 2021
LANSING (AP) Former Michigan health director Robert Gordon will testify next week before a legislative committee about his abrupt departure from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration, following the panel’s vote to subpoena him Thursday.
Gordon ordered coronavirus restrictions for more than three months after the Democratic governor lost powers in a court ruling. He resigned in January as director of the state Department of Health and Human Services and received $155,000 in a separation agreement signed by the chief lawyer in Whitmer’s office.
The reason for his apparent forced exit is unclear. Whitmer has largely been mum. Gordon has said officials disagreed on policy and that the governor “deserves a health director with whom she is comfortable.”
Sexual harassment, ethics reforms and pandemic relief: The week in Michigan politics mlive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mlive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Credit Lester Graham / Michigan Radio
The state House Oversight Committee approved a subpoena Thursday to require former state health department Director Robert Gordon to testify.
Republicans have questions on the use of confidentiality agreements when Governor Gretchen Whitmer and top administration officials parted ways. Also whether Gordon differed with Whitmer’s decisions on the state’s COVID-19 response.
Representative Steve Johnson (R-Wayland) is the oversight committee chair. He said the committee’s been looking into the Whitmer administration’s use of confidentiality deals.
“And now we are to the point where I would like to move forward with issuing a subpoena,” he said.
Ex-Michigan health chief ordered to testify about departure
LANSING Former Michigan health director Robert Gordon will testify next week before a legislative committee about his abrupt departure from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration, following the panel’s vote to subpoena him Thursday.
Gordon ordered coronavirus restrictions for more than three months after the Democratic governor lost powers in a court ruling. He resigned in January as director of the state Department of Health and Human Services and received $155,000 in a separation agreement signed by the chief lawyer in Whitmer’s office.
The reason for his apparent forced exit is unclear. Whitmer has largely been mum. Gordon has said officials disagreed on policy and that the governor “deserves a health director with whom she is comfortable.”