Ann Arbor Times

In a settlement with the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs recently released documents detailing complaints about businesses suspected of violating Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's COVID-19 executive orders, according to The Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

The Center pursued legal action after LARA continuously delayed releasing the documents that were requested through the state’s Freedom of Information Act. LARA justified the delays citing the request’s “broad scope” and the need to review “voluminous records”, but the department promptly released the records once the lawsuit was filed.

“Michigan's public records law exists so people can see what their government is doing and hold them accountable,” said Jarrett Skorup, director of marketing and communications at the Mackinac Center. “But what good is the law if the government can withhold information for as long as they want? We’re pleased that the department has finally released the information, but it shouldn’t require waiting six months and filing a lawsuit to get public records from government officials.”

Visitors can find more information about the lawsuit here.

The documents LARA released can be found here.