Politics

Michigan prosecutor says Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could face charges for nursing home policies

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Peter Lucido, a Michigan prosecutor, said during an interview that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer could face criminal charges for her nursing home policies at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maycomb county prosecutor Peter Lucido told WXYZ.com that he himself has limited knowledge on the governor’s nursing home insights, but that if there is a clear “willful neglect of office” or “reckless endangerment of a person’s life,” there could be criminal charges up against Whitmer. Lucido is a former Republican state senator, and aimed to ease the minds of those who lost loved ones as a result of nursing home COVID deaths. It is unclear as to whether or not Lucido is able to obtain the exact statistics on Whitmer’s policies, as HIPAA laws prohibit access to patient information, Lucido told reporters. Whitmer joins Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) in the spotlight, as both are under fire for their handling of COVID-19 nursing home policy.

Whitmer’s office released a statement to WXYZ, slamming prosecutor Lucido. They deemed his accusations “shameful political attacks based in neither fact or reality.” Her office elaborated, claiming that one of Lucido’s former Republican colleagues admitted that they “have not seen any evidence or testimony that says that a nursing home was forced to take someone against their will.” In the statement, the Governor’s office explained, “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.”

They doubled down on their claims, telling CNN that they never violated any of the federal guidelines outlined just last year. Reporting to CNN, Whitmer herself said they had “released an incredible amount of data. We have followed the federal requirements. Every step of the way”. This is in contrast to many of the sentiments coming from state representatives and citizens alike. An investigative journalist in Michigan by the name of Charlie LeDuff, told Fox News just last week that he intends to sue Gretchen Whitmer. He says her administration failed to give him adequate information regarding COVID-19 deaths relating to nursing homes after asking the office on several occasions. LeDuff said, “You can’t get them, I’ve been asking for months.” These individuals are joined by countless others who are leading the charge to get Whitmer removed from office. Republican legislators, spearheaded by Sen. Jim Runestad, have openly called for investigations into the Governor’s handling of the nursing homes and care facilities.

ARTICLE: ETHAN FINN

POLITICS EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE

PHOTO CREDITS: NEW YORK POST

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