Eastern Wayne Today

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs recently released documents about suspected businesses that violated Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Michigan) COVID-19 executive orders.

The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation took legal action once the department delayed the release of documents that were requested by the Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy requested cease-and-desist letters for violating emergency executive orders on Jun. 5, 2020. Also, the Center requested complaints that were filed with the state regarding businesses that allegedly violated the same orders. Documents that were released had several individual complaints that were submitted to LARA. Complaints consisted of golf carts being used while prohibited, restaurants exceeding the capacity threshold, and roofers that did not have face masks.

“Michigan's public records law exists so people can see what their government is doing and hold them accountable,” Jarrett Skorup, director of marketing and communications at the Mackinac Center told the Macinac Center website. “But what good is the law if the government can withhold information for as long as they want? We’re pleased that the department has finally released the information, but it shouldn’t require waiting six months and filing a lawsuit to get public records from government officials.”

The estimated costs were $1,373 paid by the Mackinac Center and LARA acknowledged the payment on Jul. 7, 2020. Once the lawsuit was filed the department released the records.

The Center had prior lawsuits against LARA for taking too long to provide documents, won documents from Wayne State after ignoring the FOIA law, and initiated disclosing documents against the State of Michigan, University of Michigan, and local government regarding the state’s public record law.

To learn more about the lawsuit, click here.

To view the LARA documents, click here.