Michigan Attorney General Asleep At The Helm

This is the latest Michigan attempt to cover up the fact that it has no control over its operations.  I say this because the majority wants to blame the people for the economic woes.  The state wants to swoop down and be the savior as seen in emergency manager, or as I like to call it, City Protective Services (CPS).

The problem is not the people, it is the state attorney general.  The attorney general has been asleep at the helm of Michigan for quite some years.  By this I mean the attorney general has turned a blind eye to public corruption in the state, in child welfare.

Mike Cox, former attorney general for Michigan was too busy partying in Detroit to care what was going on in Detroit.  Everyone in power had dirt on Mikey and that is why nothing ever got done enforcing grant compliance.  Everyone was making money.  Mikey had his hand in the child welfare cookie jar, just like everyone else.

Mr. Schuette, current attorney general is too busy campaigning for Congress to care about all the grant fraud in child welfare.

This bill is a beginning but until I see any effort by the state to admit there is fraud in child welfare, I am keeping my money on the feds.

Michigan House Bill 5158 To Authorize Expenditure Audits 2011

There are three major components missing to this piece of legislation, the first being there is no referral mechanism. If, during the audit process there are findings of violations of law, then what? If it is not reported then there is no recovery. In essences, "who cares if you are non-compliant to the grant. Nothing is going to happen."

Secondly, please, someone explain to me just how there is to be audit in child welfare services when everyone knows non-profits, especially in the name of God, are exempted and excluded under certain FOIA provisions for audits and examinations. Everyone knows the mantra "it would not be in the best interests of the child" if these state contracted child placing agencies had to open the books.

Even if there were found aberrant generation of false claims, the failure of foster care and child welfare service agencies would disturb the natural order of fraud. This would simply mean the auditor general would be left powerless as these child welfare agencies self-report.

Lastly, if it is found there were violations of law and policy, there is no avenue for prosecution, recovery, contractual debarment or license revocation.

I wrote this a few years ago. Take a look at it again.  It makes the attorney general get off his ass and do something about Medicaid fraud in child welfare.
Beverly Tran's State of Michigan proposed bill to amend 2003 PA 1, entitled "AUDITS AND EXAMINATIO...

Beverly Tran