House Oversight Committee Vice Chair Matthew Bierlein today said moves by the committee to get answers from state departments and officials will provide desperately needed transparency and additional insight as the Legislature continues the state budget process.

Five subpoenas were approved by the committee in overwhelming, bipartisan fashion with zero no votes.

Two were issued to state Attorney General Dana Nessel regarding a pair of allegations that appear to have not been sufficiently investigated and have presented potential conflicts of interest. Another was sent to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel to appear and testify before the committee on numerous longstanding failures within the department, including the foster care system, welfare fraud, and juvenile justice, among others. Two subpoenas were also approved for the state’s Department of Natural Resources to gather more information about concerning practices involving so-called “feral swine” that has impacted farmers and culling Canadian geese.

“I think our Oversight Committee sent a clear and unified message – no one should be above answering to people they represent,” said Bierlein, of Vassar. “The Legislature has a responsibility to ensure state government departments are working effectively, efficiently and transparently, not ignoring the law based on political favoritism or burdening hardworking people. We have reached out and made efforts to get this information without having to take this step, but we have encountered foot-dragging and an alarming lack of interest in transparency. That’s unacceptable, especially when there has been potential misconduct.”

In 2023, the Secretary of State sent a criminal referral to the Attorney General’s office with allegations that an organization called Bipartisan Solutions used a fraudulent dark money scheme to fund a ballot initiative co-chaired by a close member of Nessel’s family. Bierlein noted that Nessel is currently seeking criminal penalties against a Republican Party-associated political fundraiser for nearly identical charges after refusing to conduct a full investigation into the Bipartisan Solutions issue for potential crimes.

In addition to serving on the House Oversight Committee, Bierlein chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on Public Health and Food Security and serves on the House Oversight Subcommittee on Corporate Subsidies and State Investments.