Michigan Lt. Governor Brian Calley is calling for Attorney General Bill Schuette to apologize to the public after a newspaper investigation revealed the “special and independent” prosecutor Schuette appointed to investigate Michigan State University’s handling of the Larry Nassar case isn’t independent at all, he’s completely controlled by Schuette.
Calley is also calling for an investigation into Schuette himself over how his office has conducted the MSU inquiry.
“Anyone who cares about justice for the survivors now knows what we all feared: this investigation is not at all independent and is being directed by the Attorney General,” Calley said. “The Attorney General should apologize to the people of Michigan for misrepresenting the independence of the prosecutor that he has hired to work for him.”
Calley says a special prosecutor should be appointed to investigate Schuette’s office for his handling of the MSU case and hold the AG accountable for any wrongdoing.
“More importantly, a truly independent prosecutor should be named who will have the authority to look into any mishandling or wrongdoing by the Attorney General in the delay of holding Michigan State accountable,” Calley said.
Calley’s statement comes after the Detroit Free Press revealed Bill Forsyth, a former local prosecutor from Grand Rapids, was serving “at the pleasure” of Schuette and wasn’t independent at all.
According to the Detroit Free Press:
“William Forsyth, the former Kent County prosecutor appointed to investigate MSU’s handling of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, is serving under the direction of Attorney General Bill Schuette, not as an “independent special prosecutor,” as Schuette has described him, records show.
A Jan. 27 appointment letter, signed by Schuette, says Forsyth will ‘act as my representative’ and ‘serve under my direction and at my pleasure.’
The letter, which appears to conflict with public statements by Schuette, was obtained by the Free Press Wednesday under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act.
Forsyth’s $175,000 contract, also obtained by the Free Press under FOIA, says
‘before any report is issued, the report must be submitted to the contract manager’ — an assistant attorney general in Schuette’s office — ‘for review and approval.’
The contract says Forsyth may not make any public statements or news releases without prior approval from the AG’s Office….
…The appointment letter also clarifies the scope of Forsyth’s investigation.
It says Forsyth’s investigation ‘is limited to the investigation of Michigan State University as a result of the sexual abuse perpetrated by Larry Nassar.’ That would appear to rule out Forsyth’s investigation examining the university’s handling of other sexual assault complaints, such as those against several MSU football and basketball players.”
Schuette initially refused to investigate MSU.
Only after the University’s Board of Trustees begged him to look into things, with national media cameras rolling, did he decide it was worth his time.
The scandal started after Dr. Larry Nassar was revealed to have sexually assaulted nearly 200 women and girls during a 20 year period at the school.
