LANSING, MI – Three years ago, the Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit watchdog group, rated Michigan the worst in the nation for open and accountable government.
This year, those running the state evidently are trying to make sure they keep the title. Consider these examples:
* State Rep. Bettie Cook Scott, a Detroit Democrat, first committed racial slurs against an opponent– and then abandoned her elected job months ago, though she is still drawing a salary.
Last summer, running in a Democratic primary for a state senate seat against State Rep. Stephanie Chang, Scott apparently told people outside polling places “Don’t vote for the ching-chong!”
It didn’t help her much; Chang won the primary by a landslide, 16,427 to 3,698 for Scott. The loser apologized for the slurs — but then doing her job. She has missed hundreds of votes, committee meetings, and stopped doing anything for her constituents. Bettie Cook Scott has never come to work since August 7. She has, however, continued to draw her $71,685 annual salary.
A TV reporter documented her running errands and enjoying life in Detroit when she should have been voting in Lansing.
Eventually, the business office of the legislature’s GOP-controlled lower house took over her office to try to manage her staff and meet the needs of the people in her district as best they could.
So how did her colleagues respond to Bettie Cook Scott’s job abandonment, something that would get you fired in the real world?
Did they censure her? Expel her? Not at all.
They adopted a glowing resolution this month praising her, which says, in part, “her service and leadership in this legislative body will be missed … she worked tirelessly on behalf of the citizens of Detroit and Wayne County.”
WTF?
Susan Demas, a longtime Lansing columnist who is now editor-in-chief of the online Michigan Advance, said “these resolutions are generally pro forma. Almost all departing legislators are honored with one.” A spokesman for the Speaker of the House said not doing so for here “would have taken more time from the House’s business.”
Right. But frankly — after this, how can anyone take it seriously when the legislators legitimately praise somebody?
* If that isn’t bad enough, consider this: How does creating a special, high-paying protected job for someone who will soon be on trial for death-related felonies sound?
That’s what the outgoing Snyder administration just did.
Dr. Eden Wells was appointed Chief Medical Executive by Gov. Rick Snyder soon after he came into office. This is a politically appointed job, and Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer would almost certainly have replaced her when she takes over next month.
That is especially so … because Wells is about to stand trial for various felonies in connection with her role in the Flint water crisis. On Dec. 7, she was bound over for trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice and lying to a police officer, all in connection with an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease in Flint in 2014-15 thought to be linked to the water switch that also caused massive lead poisoning of the population.
At dozen people died of Legionnaires, many more were sickened and prosecutors charged that Wells knew but took no steps to warn the governor or the public. District Judge William Crawford agreed there was enough evidence to put hers on trial.
You might have expected Eden Wells to then resign from her state job, or for the governor to suspend her until the trial was over.
But no. Instead, he quickly took steps to put her in a new job, one from which it will be very hard to fire her. They created a new civil service position for her with no clear duties; she will be an “advisory physician to the Population Health Administration” in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Her salary will be $179,672; down a little from the $184,000 she made as a political appointee, true – but it puts her in a civil service post that gives her massive job security.
Snyder defended the move, saying “Dr. Eden Wells is a strong advocate for public health, and has proven many times over that she cares about what happens to the inhabitants of this state.”
Except, perhaps, if it involves warning them about a possible outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease that could have damaging political consequences to the man who appointed her.
Susan Demas, who isn’t easily fazed by political shenanigans, called this “one of the sleazier moves I’ve seen in recent Michigan history. This is almost impressive in its audacity.”
What wasn’t immediately clear is what would happen if Wells is convicted of one or more felonies. Presumably she would be unable to discharge the duties of her office from prison.
Meanwhile, while all this was going on, the lame-duck, Republican controlled legislature was feverishly working on bills that would strip the newly elected governor, attorney general and secretary of state – all Democrats — of some of their powers.
“There’s a reason we were ranked last in terms of government ethics,” said Craig Mauger, director of the non-partisan Michigan Campaign Finance Network. Lots of reasons, as a matter of fact.
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(Editor’s note: A version of this column appeared earlier in the Toledo Blade.)
