Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

The Michigan House’s Oversight Committee has authorized five subpoenas to be issued to multiple state departments.

Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer (R- Clay Twp.) received the authorization Tuesday.

Two subpoenas focus on Attorney General Dana Nessel.

The first one looks at the decision to not file charges in a case referred by the Secretary of State’s Office regarding an alleged campaign finance violation by Bipartisan Solutions and an organization that included a member of Nessel’s family. According to a press release about the announcement from the Michigan House of Republicans, the 2022 complaint alleged that “Bipartisan Solutions collected donations for the sole purpose of making expenditures to Fair and Equal Michigan, a ballot question committee.” The case was referred to the Attorney General’s Office for the enforcement of penalties on Apr. 13 2023, following the Secretary of State’s Office’s investigation. No action has been taken at this point.

The other seeks documents related to the AG’s Office’s investigation into Traci Kornak, a lawyer and former treasurer of the state’s Democratic Party. The press release said Kornak is a friend of Nessel and served as part of her transition team after her election in 2018. Kornak was allegedly accused by the director of a west Michigan nursing home of “using the account of an elderly client to fraudulently bill an insurance company” in 2022.

The Attorney General’s Office said there was an “isolation wall” established to prevent Nessel from influencing decision-making while the investigation was being conducted. It was determined by the Office that criminal wrongdoing was found. According to a report cited by the press release, there were allegations that Nessel may have breached the isolation wall. “Emails obtained through FOIA indicate Nessel disregarded the wall and sought documentation about the investigation after learning that the allegations may have been preventing Kornak from receiving a judicial appointment in Kent County.”

Another subpoena calls for Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director, to testify before the Oversight committee. “The order cites numerous longstanding failures within her department, including the foster care system, welfare fraud and judicial justice, among others,” the press release said.

Two other subpoenas focus on the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The press release said there have been “longstanding abuses” within the agency, including the refusal to turn over documents related to population control of Canadian geese by killing them and its “years-long enforcement campaign” against pig farmers and game ranches.

State Rep. Jason Woolford (R-Howell), who chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on State and Local Public Assistance Programs, voted to authorize the subpoenas.

“House Republicans are fighting for transparency at even the highest levels of state government because we believe very simply that government functions better when it is accountable to the people,” Woolford said. “We have learned a ton of information this term about how the MDHHS’s public assistance programs have been abused and exploited, costing taxpayers millions of dollars. The only way we can right the ship and ensure things like that stop happening is if we bring accountability to their office.”

According to a statement released about Woolford’s role, the subpoena would require Hertel to appear before the Committee to answer questions on Sept. 9.

There were no statements released from anyone being subpoenaed at the time of this article.