Democrats in the state House say it’s inappropriate for Michigan’s attorney general to conduct an investigation into a recent prison escape in Ionia.
As The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher reports, they called for an independent investigation into the escape Monday.
Democrats want to know whether recent state budget cuts to the Department of Corrections played a role in the escape. They say it’s “unrealistic” to think Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette would cite the budget cuts as a factor – since it would make his fellow Republicans in the Legislature look bad.
Joy Yearout is Schuette’s spokesperson.
“The main goal is to make sure this never happens again, and the attorney general is committed to making sure that happens,” she says.
Governor Rick Snyder’s office says it asked the attorney general to conduct the review because he is independent from the governor’s administration.
Democrats did not say who they would like to spearhead the investigation.