Michigan County Prosecutor Says Criminal Charges Against Governor Whitmer A Possibility
Criminal charges could be in the works against Governor Gretchen Whitmer over her decision to put COVID patients inside nursing homes early in the pandemic.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido says people who lost relatives and friends to COVID-19 as residents or staff inside Michigan nursing homes should go back to get the vital information about the circumstances of their death and take that to local police to make a wrongful death complaint.
Lucido says because of HIPAA laws, he cannot get that information in his own investigation without Michigan residents filing the reports with their local police.
Lucido told Detroit’s local WXYZ Channel 7 that, “If we find there’s been willful neglect of office if we find there’s been reckless endangerment of a person’s life by bringing them in then we would move forward with charges against the Governor. Of course, we would. Nobody’s above the law in this state.”
Lucido began looking into COVID deaths inside nursing homes as a State Senator.
After becoming Prosecutor this year, Lucido has made investigating COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes one of his top priorities.
Whitmer released a lengthy statement to Detroit’s local press blasting Lucido’s claims of possible charges.
Our top priority from the start has been protecting Michiganders, especially seniors and our most vulnerable. The administration’s policies carefully tracked CDC guidance on nursing homes, and we prioritized testing of nursing home residents and staff to save lives. Early in the pandemic, the state acted swiftly to create a network of regional hubs with isolation units and adequate PPE to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within a facility. In addition, we have offered 100 percent of nursing home resident priority access to the vaccine. Both the former head of AARP, as well as an independent U-M study, praised our work to save lives in nursing homes.
Mr. Lucido’s comments are shameful political attacks based in neither fact nor reality. Even his former colleague, Republican Sen. Ed McBroom, has said they "have not seen any evidence or testimony that says that a nursing home was forced to take someone against their will." And there’s a reason why Mr. Lucido’s colleagues have publicly rebuked this politically-motivated waste of taxpayer dollars. Michiganders are tired of these petty partisan games, and we won’t be distracted by them either.
Michigan’s Attorney General has said there was no proper basis to open a criminal investigation into Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Do you think criminal charges should be brought against Governor Gretchen Whitmer? Do you believe all governors who put COVID-19 patients inside nursing homes should face legal consequences? Comment your thoughts below!