After backlash from the Republican party, Democrats in Michigan are axing its contract for a COVID-19 tracing system,
The controversial system would have involved tracing a COVID-19 patient's interactions to determine who else could have contracted the disease from that person. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services partnered with Every Action VAN “to provide software to help organize remote phone banking and track information and contracts,” The Center Square reported, based on a press release.
When the state introduced the contract on April 20, it didn’t take long for the Republicans to protest and ultimately shut it down.
Michigan Republican Chairman Laura Cox explained that Republicans had issues with “how this data will be used,” according to The Center Square. “Awarding the contract for such a critically important project to an openly partisan political firm raises questions about Gov. Whitmer’s ethics and her priorities.”
She continued to call out Whitmer, adding, “The fact that there is now the possibility that it will be utilized for partisan ends is deeply troubling. This is yet another example of the governor’s reckless leadership during a pandemic while abusing her power for political gain.”
Rep. Shane Hernandez (R-Port Huron) also speculated how the partnership came about to begin with. Hernandez released a separate statement, where he pointed out that the state didn’t conduct a standard bidding process and allegedly failed to even inform the state government about the contract.
Hernandez told The Center Square, “I want to know what safeguards the governor has in place to ensure the information gathered during this COVID-19 response doesn’t wind up in the hands of any campaigns.”
The more than 2,200 people who have taken part in the contract tracing training program went on volunteer at local health departments.
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