Hertel Negotiates Six-Figure Kick-Back from Non-Profit

(Lansing, Mich.) - Democratic candidate Curtis Hertel, Jr., who was appointed Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s top lobbyist after a 22-year career in elected office, including eight years in the State Senate, negotiated a six-figure contract from a politically-connected non-profit on his way out of the governor’s office.

The $1.5 million in taxpayer funds were requested by Hertel’s former Senate colleague, Jim Ananich, CEO of the Greater Flint Health Coalition. Hertel’s wife, Elizabeth Hertel, Whitmer’s Director of Health and Human Services, then gave Ananich the $1.5 million as part of the FY2024 budget negotiated by…Curtis. Ananich admitted to The Detroit News in a Nov. 1, 2023 article, that he and Curtis discussed the arrangement while negotiating the funding request.

Hours after the budget was passed, Hertel announced his resignation and three days later received his first payment from the Greater Flint Health Coalition.

“People are tired of self-dealing from our government officials,” said Republican candidate Tom Barrett. “Curtis Hertel brazenly engineered a cushy contract for himself courtesy of Michigan taxpayers. On his last day in government, he gave this non-profit $1.5 million; three days later, his first day in the private sector, he took his cut from the same non-profit. He doesn’t even pretend to be embarrassed by it.”

###