Whitmer Wasting Taxpayers’ Time and Money on Political Priorities
LANSING, MI – Michigan Freedom Fund executive director Tori Sachs reacted to Governor Whitmer’s “whole-of-government” directive to increase voter registration, diverting valuable time and resources away from taxpayer priorities like tackling inflation or “fixing the damn roads.” A memo obtained by the Michigan Capitol Confidential indicates departments and agencies in the executive branch are required to submit reports to Whitmer’s deputy legal counsel on their voter registration and election outreach efforts on June 30.
“Governor Whitmer directed all of state government to increase voter registration in an election year in which her name happens to be on the ballot, wasting taxpayer’s time and money – but the damn roads still aren’t fixed, gas and grocery costs are still out of control, and thousands of jobs are leaving the state,” said Michigan Freedom Fund executive director Tori Sachs. “Whitmer is once again using the levers of government to benefit herself politically instead of serving the people of Michigan.”
Michigan Capitol Confidential reports: Whitmer directs ‘whole of government’ to register Michiganders to vote
“Gov. Whitmer is trying to turn the state government into a voter registration and turnout machine,” said Lauren Bowman, spokeswoman for the Public Interest Legal Foundation, a public interest law firm.
Bowman added: “This is an abuse of power and a waste of government resources and taxpayer dollars. What the governor should be worried about is the over 25,000 deceased registrants on the state’s voter rolls. She should be working with the Secretary of State to clean up the voter rolls, so Michiganders can have trust in their elections.”
Whitmer’s May 1 directive instructed “all state departments and agencies to identify and assess potential opportunities to help eligible Michiganders register to vote and gain access to reliable information about voting.” Voter outreach is traditionally the role of the Secretary of State, while the agencies and departments affected by her directive (including the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Corrections, Natural Resources, Transportation and more) have no role in Michigan elections.
In addition to vetoing every attempt to provide Michigan families with relief, Whitmer has vetoed common-sense election reforms and legislation to keep the qualified voter file up to date. More than 25,000 dead people remain on the voter rolls, in violation of the National Voter Registration Act.
The Michigan Freedom Fund works to advance conservative ideas, hold our government accountable to taxpayers, and protect Freedom, opportunity, and workers’ Constitutional rights. For more information, please visit MichiganFreedomFund.com.
