Ex-health director Gordon set to testify after House panel issues subpoena
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Apr. 22—LANSING — A Michigan House committee on Thursday issued a subpoena to former Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon to compel testimony about his reasons for parting ways with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in January. Gordon in a statement Thursday said he would comply with the subpoena.
The committee voted 6-3 along party lines to subpoena Gordon, who left state employment in January and received $155,506 in a separation deal that required the director and Whitmer's administration to maintain confidentiality about the circumstances of his departure.
The subpoena seeks Gordon's testimony about his January separation and the separation agreement.
The subpoena ensures the committee does its due diligence to "provide answers to the people of Michigan," said Rep. Steve Johnson, chairman for the House committee.
"I am committed to ensuring a more transparent and honest government," Johnson said in a statement. "Agreements signed in the dark for exorbitant sums of money is neither transparent nor honest."
Gordon is proud of his work and grateful to have served the state, said Kenneth Baer, a spokesman for Gordon.
"While Robert strongly believes that public officials should be able to receive confidential advice from their senior leaders, he will of course honor the subpoena and testify," Baer said.
Whitmer and Gordon agreed to lift the confidentiality provision in March amid outcry over the agreement, but neither has explained the reason or reasons for Gordon's departure.
Gordon told Johnson in a letter that "reasonable people" disagreed on decisions related to the state's pandemic response. Gordon said he and the administration had "robust," healthy conversations about the COVID-19 response, but he declined invitations to testify before the committee.
Johnson told lawmakers Thursday that Gordon's testimony next week will not be a moment for "grand-standing," "political gotcha question" or making personal statements.
"I don't want to turn this into some political stage that everyone's just trying to score political points," Johnson said. "The point of oversight is to get answers and to get proper answers you've got to ask good questions."
The panel on Thursday also unanimously approved a bill that would trigger reporting requirements if a separation agreement was above a certain dollar amount.
Johnson, R-Wayland, said elements of the bill had been negotiated with the governor's office.
