Gov. Rick Snyder's secretive nonprofit foundation is paying for Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr's condominium in a previously undisclosed financial arrangement. Orr and Snyder are shown in July 2013 at the Free Press. / Eric Seals/Detroit Free Press
The NERD fund, as it is called, carries Snyder's signature. The idea Detroit's EM is directed by the Governor while the Governor's friends are paying his rental is corruption. I don't care if Snyder and Orr state they are transparent about everything, the donors to the NERD Fund are unknown and could easily be getting kick backs in the way Orr administers the policies in regard to Detroit. Additionally, there is nothing to say those 'not to be disclosed' are not directing the Governor in what they want out of this venture.
...Snyder’s NERD Fund, (click here) which stands for New Energy to Reinvent and Diversify Fund, is footing the rental bill for Orr’s two-room condo at the Westin Book Cadillac in downtown Detroit, Orr spokesman Bill Nowling confirmed.
The NERD Fund, which raises money from private donors who are not legally required to disclose their identities, has come under scrutiny because of its role in funding the governor’s operations. For example, the organization is funding the salary of Snyder adviser Rich Baird, who helped recruit Orr to serve as emergency manager.And according to e-mails obtained by the Free Press today, Orr made at least one suggestion for funding the EM job back in January, months before he was hired....
...The state’s emergency manager law, known as Public Act 436, says Orr’s “compensation shall be paid by this state” and can be further supplemented by “private funds” provided to the state. It also says “compensation for security personnel will be the obligation of the city.”
Sara Wurfel, a spokeswoman for Snyder, confirmed Monday the NERD Fund has paid $4,200 a month for Orr’s condo since April....
It is corruption, plain and simple. Superfunds. They are a problem.
What Snyder has done with PA436 is basically legalize racketeering.
A pattern of illegal activity carried out as part of an enterprise that is owned or controlled by those who are engaged in the illegal activity.
Those involved with Detroit now have to be investigated for conflict of interest as to whether they are involved with the Snyder administration in an inappropriate way. Their financial records will have to be subpoenaed and investigated for donations to 'blind superfund' activity. There is 'probable cause' now.
