In the midst of an ongoing investigation into the Flint Water Crisis, a dispute has emerged between Michigan’s House Oversight Committee and the state attorney general. The committee, led by Republicans, is expressing dissatisfaction with the response from Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel regarding a request for detailed documentation.
The committee sought comprehensive details about the legal fees, government expenditures, third-party contracts, invoices, and any settlements or reimbursements related to the case. Although Nessel provided a flash drive by the specified deadline, Republicans claim that the information supplied falls short of their request.
House Oversight Committee Chair Representative Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township) voiced his concerns in a letter, accusing Nessel of deliberately omitting relevant data. “It is apparent that you and your office willfully refused to provide documentation relative to your own tenure in office and instead spent your time digging up irrelevant documents from a prior administration,” DeBoyer stated.
In defense, Nessel’s office argued that the initial request included information predating her term. Responding on Friday, Nessel indicated that the documentation provided was extensive and mostly fulfilled the committee’s demands. “If you had reviewed the entire production, you would see it was far more extensive,” Nessel wrote.
Nessel further clarified that the majority of the necessary information is available if the recipients thoroughly examine all the folders. Additionally, her department has requested more time to complete some parts of the request. For records detailing state investigation costs, Nessel mentioned that these were accessible through a public website.
The ongoing disagreement has the potential to escalate if no resolution is reached. Notably, a similar situation occurred earlier this week when House Republicans voted to hold the Michigan Secretary of State in contempt for allegedly failing to comply with a different request.
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