FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
January 4, 2017
Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org
Interim U.S. Attorney Pick Embroiled in Transparency Lawsuit
As Chief Deputy Attorney General, Matthew Schneider used private emails for public business, lawsuit claims
LANSING — In the wake of Matthew Schneider, Attorney General Bill Schuette’s chief deputy, being tapped to be the interim U.S. Attorney for Michigan’s Eastern District, Progress Michigan is drawing attention to the fact that Schneider’s emails are being sought in a FOIA lawsuit after Schuette and his staff used private emails to conduct state business.
Schneider is one of 13 AG staff listed in the FOIA lawsuit filed by watchdog group Progress Michigan in 2017. Progress Michigan has evidence of Schuette and his staff, including Schneider, using private email accounts to conduct state business. The lawsuit can be viewed here. Schuette’s office has refused to disclose the emails and stonewalled the lawsuit by filing frivolous appeals.
“Progress Michigan is calling on Schneider to voluntarily disclose the emails in question to remove any cloud over his work as Deputy Attorney General and his position as interim U.S. Attorney,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Schuette’s office has the transparency of a brick wall and Schneider cannot bring that same type of mentality to the U.S. Attorney’s office.”
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