Congressman Dan Kildee: Taxpayers Shouldn't Foot Bill for Governor Snyder's Legal Counsel

Press Release

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) today criticized the decision by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to spend more than $1 million in taxpayer funds on private legal counsel for himself, including a criminal defense lawyer.

Recent media reports point out the hiring of private legal counsel at taxpayer expense comes in addition to the "dozens of attorneys at the governor's disposal through his state office and the attorney generals' office."

"It is an insult to the people of Flint that Governor Snyder is using taxpayer money to pay his legal fees, especially as Flint families still do not have safe water," Congressman Kildee said. "It is equally shameful that the Governor acted with such haste when his own interests were threatened, yet has not acted with equal speed when it comes to helping Flint families. The State of Michigan created this man-made emergency, yet continues to fail at responding to it in a way that is equal to the gravity of the crisis. The state's response has not even come close to what is actually needed to help Flint recover. The Governor should be focused on getting additional state aid to Flint, not his own legal defense."

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