WASHINGTON, D.C. (Great Lakes News) – President Joe Biden intends to nominate Michigan’s former health director to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Biden is tapping Robert Gordon to serve as assistant secretary for financial resources at the agency.
Gordon abruptly resigned on January 22 as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s director of the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services where he had led the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Later, documents revealed that Gordon had been paid a $155,506 severance which included a confidentiality clause.
At the time, Republicans called this arrangement “hush money.” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sidestepped questions regarding the resignation. Gordon eventually dropped the confidentiality provision.
A state oversight committee subpoenaed Gordon to testify in April. He seemed unclear about the specific reasons for the governor’s decision to let him go.
Gordon did say there were disagreements about elements of the state’s reopening plans.
