Michigan Governor Gretchen “Karen” Whitmer and her administration are back in hot water after testimony in a lawsuit reveals an agency under her direction allegedly burned evidence.
The City of Port Huron is fighting the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) over fines they received for COVID-19 violations after a July 21 visit. Inspector for MIOSHA Matthew Hartman fined the City of Port Huron $6,300 due to a complaint and saying he witnessed coronavirus violations and had seen people not wearing masks.
The city is fighting back claiming the fines are unlawful because the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that Whitmer’s executive orders were unconstitutional.
What was most shocking was Hartman’s testimony during a deposition by the city attorney. Hartman was asked what he did with the notes he took during the investigation into the city. Hartman admitted he burned them, and that he destroyed emails from his supervisor related to the case.
The city attorney asked, “So it sounds like the measure, the standard that you were measuring employers by, though, was the specific language of the executive orders in determining whether or not there was a general duty clause violation, true?”
“I would say that’s true, yes,” Hartman replied.
Port of Huron’s City Manager James Freed is demanding an investigation into MIOSHA after learning the inspector allegedly destroyed evidence in a lawsuit.
“My heart breaks for all the small businesses and mom-and-pops that didn’t have an expert legal team, who didn’t have the resources to put MIOSHA under oath,” Freed lamented.
