Two More Michigan State Employees Silence Bought With Taxpayer Money
Yesterday WBCK reported on former State Health and Human Services Department Director Robert Gordon's “sizable” separation agreement. Then later in the day, we discover that a second separation agreement was reached with his deputy director Sarah Etsy.
The spokesman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bob Wheaton said:
"Yes, there is a separation agreement with Sarah Esty”
Don’t you just love when people give other people’s money away for their own benefit? Ask yourself why the State Health and Human Services Department Director and his deputy have to be paid not to tell us, taxpayers, what they know.
It does not stop there the Detroit News then reported about a third separation agreement:
"Michigan's former unemployment director Steve Gray received $85,872 as part of a settlement deal with the state when he resigned on Nov. 5, according to a document released Tuesday night by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity."
Just like the separation agreement Whitmer signed with Director Gordon this agreement requires Whitmer, the State and Mr. Gray to “maintain confidentiality" in regards to his time working for the state as well as the reasons for his departure.
They must be hiding some pretty damaging information about Governor Whitmer!
As of this morning, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services hadn't released the details of Sarah Esty's arrangement with the state. Ms. Esty has not responded to any request for comment.
The Detroit News has reported that a department spokesperson confirmed this second separation agreement but gave no other details about what she was paid and any other details of the arrangement. We know that Robert Gordon was paid $155,506 plus 9 months of healthcare benefits. What did Ms. Etsy end up getting we do not know. What we do know is that she made $151,620 in 2020, according to a database of state government salaries.
It appears to me that government is where you should be working these days. Need more proof? Former Director Gordon’s chief of staff, Jonathan Warsh made $152,335 in 2020.
Is there any open position in government that I can apply for?
Governor Whitmer's partially responded to the separation agreements yesterday at a press conference"
Really Governor Whitmer you “really bristle at that characterization” when asked if the $155,506 paid to former Director Gordon after he resigned was “hush money"?
Well, we taxpayers really "bristle" at you handing out our money left and right, I really should say left and left, to "leadership" for exactly what? They no longer work for the state yet you pay them tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars for "resigning".
She went on to say:
“It is the nature of a separation agreement when someone in a leadership position leaves is that there are terms to it and you can’t share every term to it...That’s simply what it is.”
You cannot share "every term" but you will tell us it was not "hush money", interesting.
Why have a silence agreement at all Governor Whitmer. Whenever anyone pays that kind of money for silence it sure seems to look like "hush money".
By the way Governor, the excuse that private companies give out these golden parachute separation agreements does not give the government the right to do so. The money the private companies are playing with is theirs the money you play with is ours.
Government jobs appears to be the cherry on top of the sundae.
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