Detroit Dreaming

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is defending her decision to line-item veto legislation removing $10 million to compensate people wrongfully convicted. The money is needed to replenish the nearly depleted compensation fund.

The money was in a bill to legislation to improve transparency and reporting for the compensation fund.

Whitmer says the money should instead be part of a supplemental budget bill.

“We have a vehicle to actually fund it… they should put the $10 million in that supplemental and get it to my desk and we can do it right,” says Whitmer. “And respect people’s constitutional rights in this state."

The bill’s Republican sponsor is criticizing the Democratic governor's line-item veto. 

Rep. Steve Johnson accuses Whitmer of "playing politics" to gain leverage for other spending she wants in supplemental budget legislation.

Whitmer points her finger at Republican lawmakers, accusing them of playing politics with those seeking compensation for being wrongfully imprisoned.

“They’re being victimized by a legislature that’s not doing it right,” says Whitmer. “They know how they’re supposed to be appropriating money. They know there is an accountable way of doing it. And there’s a vehicle. They could do it tomorrow.”