Huizenga Slams Whitmer for Political Favoritism, VanderWall Silently Benefits from His Own

[XLFD]

Governor Gretchen Whitmer seems to be heavily involved in national politics as she tries to make her case for being picked as the Democratic veep candidate, while the state languishes under her management.  Returning the favor, our area's representative in the US House of Representatives, Bill Huizenga, is getting involved in state politics due to Whitmer's unfair fast-tracking of partially-furloughed state employees through the unemployment system and allowing them to draw benefits under federal programs.  

                                                                  Representative Bill Huizenga

What has State Senator Curt VanderWall said about the problems?  Well two months ago, he was apologizing for the executive branch's ineptitude:  "We need to make sure we get [unemployment system problems] fixed as soon as possible. We cannot give them enough information and I think we've been a little too tight lipped and I apologize for that."  

Ever since that time, he has not offered any sort of further answer to the problems that continue with the system, as Huizenga does, nor has he commented on the sweet deal state employees have been getting, with their potential triple dipping into their usual salaries, unemployment, and even federal benefits meant to prop up those businesses forced to shut down and employees forced to be unemployed because of dictates from the governor.

A good reason that may be the case is because 'Corrupt Curt' VanderWall's using his own political influence to unethically and unlawfully take contracts away from other deserving businesses that bid lower than his when his business vies for contracts with political subdivisions of the state in his district.  Rather than listen to the concerns of his critical constituents, he removes their ability to comment on his public Facebook page, but nobody else's, but lies about the contract before he does.   VanderWall is profiting from favoritism (and violating the MI Constitution) so why would he dare sound hypocritical by ripping Governor Whitmer's use of that mechanism to enrich bureaucrats and political cronies?

Senator VanderWall, please look at what a principled representative of the people does when he sees unfairness and elitism, from the Detroit News: 

GOP rep rips Whitmer for still-stalled benefits for jobless workers

A West Michigan congressman is accusing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of giving furloughed state employees preferential treatment for unemployment aid over regular citizens.
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Zeeland Republican, wrote Monday to Whitmer, ripping her decision to automatically enroll 31,000 state employees in the state unemployment system while others have waited for weeks without receiving any assistance.

“While you have certainly found time to appear on national television programs, Michiganders still can’t properly access the unemployment system — the very system you utilized to prioritize state bureaucrats over families across West Michigan,” Huizenga wrote. “This is unacceptable.”

With a 22.7% jobless rate, Michigan has experienced a record number of unemployment filings — more than 1 million in April alone — after the state effectively shut down the economy in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The Whitmer administration argued the process is fair and didn't cause state employees to jump the line.

“All employers are able to file an employer filed claim for benefits. Many businesses are using this including the Big 3 automakers," Whitmer spokeswoman Chelsea Lewis said in a statement.

"The employer provides us with employee information upfront — when they were laid off, wages, etc. Employees still have to go into the UI system and complete an application as well as satisfy certification requirements going forward. Claims filed in this manner, like with state employees, do not jump in front of existing claims and are processed as they come in.”

Whitmer’s administration has acknowledged a slow start in distributing the benefits after the coronavirus crisis began, in part because the unemployment website was swamped by applicants.

In May, the governor issued an executive order to expedite the benefits "for tens of thousands" of Michigan residents.

Huizenga said his office has heard directly from over 1,100 constituents “distressed” as they attempted to access unemployment aid.

He recounted tales from parents calling into the state system upwards of 100 times a day so they can put food on the table for their children.

He quoted an email from a Muskegon resident who filed for benefits March 30 after being laid off, still has not received any aid, and has overdue bills he can’t pay: “Please help me. My family depends on me.”

“My constituents are jobless and unable to get answers from an unemployment office that has been inconsistent at best and unresponsive at worst,” Huizenga wrote.

“Michiganders shouldn’t have to wait months to receive a check they are forced to file for because of your executive orders.”

He asked Whitmer for information including if any resources that could have been used to enroll “everyday” Michiganians were used to enroll the furloughed state employees.

Huizenga also accused Whitmer of setting up a “sweetheart deal” for state employees through which they collect a pro-rated unemployment check for a weekly furlough day.

That enabled them to tap expanded benefits under the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, part of the federal stimulus relief package that Congress passed this spring, according to Huizenga.

“Don’t you find it troubling that state employees are providing fewer services for taxpayers yet making more than they would be if they were working five days a week?” he wrote.

[Willy]

Good article X. One has to wonder what VanderHall is thinking. He still gets his State salary along with his corrupt bidding money so I guess he couldn't care less about the people who voted for him. Unless VanderHall stuffs the ballot box, I don't see him being reelected. He doesn't understand that his job is more than just spreading bullsh_t. Again most people, unless They're involved with crooked bidding, would not know of Mr. VanderHalls lack of empathy and sneaky business dealings if it were not for X. Thanks for your work X.

[XLFD]

Thanks, Willy.  VanderHaul does surprisingly well in elections, so don't count him out even if he is held to account here, as his re-election efforts won't be tested until 2022.  Even with some questions about him, he beat a couple of seasoned Republicans vying for the seat he now holds in the 2018 primary.  

The district is fairly deep red, and whoever wins the R primary will almost assuredly win the seat.  I have tried to get answers from him, all that I have got is lies and 'call me'.  I am going to be seeking an unusual ally this week in order to hold Corrupt Curt to account.  If unsuccessful, I will hold him to account in federal court myself.  A thief, liar and censor should not be a representative of my community.

[Freedom Seeker]

Very glad Bill Huizenga has the determination and will to stand up to Whitmer.  Well done.  As for Ludington's representative, well that's another basket-- jumping in with self-interest,  financially-motivated public servants who have  their own best interest foremost in mind and fail to truly serve their district.

[Freedom Seeker]

Very glad Bill Huizenga has the determination and will to stand up to Whitmer.  Well done.  As for Ludington's representative, well that's another basket-- jumping in with self-interest,  financially-motivated public servants who have  their own best interest foremost in mind and fail to truly serve their district.