February 10, 2011
LANSING
- Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced that he has created a
new Public Integrity Unit in the Attorney General's office to ratchet up the
fight against corruption in state and local government, protect tax dollars and
restore the public's trust in government.
"Corruption
scandals have damaged the public's trust in government and left Michigan with a
national reputation as a place where businesses wonder who they have to pay off
before creating a job," said Schuette. "Today, we are turning up the heat on
corruption in Michigan. There will be no more Kwames."
Schuette
noted that current Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has done a solid job restoring public
trust. However, the ongoing fallout from the Detroit corruption scandals and
other issues statewide have damaged Michigan's reputation as a place to create
jobs. Furthermore, as residents struggle to maintain employment in Michigan's
poor economy, it is vital to ensure their hard-earned tax dollars are not being
lost to corruption.
Acknowledging
Michigan's tough budget situation, Schuette said the unit is being created
without additional spending by reallocating existing resources in the Attorney
General's office. The Public Integrity Unit will allow the office to put an
increased focus on public corruption cases currently handled by the office's
Criminal Division, a priority Schuette identified upon taking office last month.
Schuette
expects the unit to work closely with local, state and federal law enforcement
to uncover and prosecute crimes at all levels of state and local government.
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