In a recent development in the tussle between Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido and County Executive Mark Hackel, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ordered Hackel to release funds designated for the hiring of outside legal counsel by the prosecutor's office. Lucido, who hailed the decision, stated that Hackel's act of withholding the funds was against the law and taken to courts multiple times before with similar outcomes. “This is now the third time in recent years that the courts have told the executive he cannot ignore the law,” Lucido remarked in a statement released by the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. He emphasized the win as a safeguard for taxpayer dollars and the justice system’s integrity in the county.
The court addressed two disputes in its ruling, which found in favor of the prosecutor's office on one count while siding with Hackel on another. Ordered to release the impounded funds, Hackel will now need to comply with a writ of mandamus, simplifying what has been a protracted battle over financial jurisdiction. However, the court declined to take on the matter of a staff reclassification in the prosecutor's office, citing jurisdictional constraints under the Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act. The disputes have taken center stage after Hackel’s administration missed crucial budget audit deadlines.
The ongoing conflicts seem rooted in concerns over financial transparency. The Michigan Supreme Court recently ruled that county commissioners are entitled to direct access to financial records and that Hackel cannot obstruct funds that the Prosecutor's Office needs to procure external legal counsel. Lucido expressed worry over the legal expenses amassed due to these skirmishes with the executive office. “We estimate Mr. Hackel has already spent over a million taxpayer dollars fighting against financial transparency,” Lucido told the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. These developments have fueled speculation about potential undisclosed motives at play within Hackel's administration.
Adding to the controversy, Lucido says he may take more legal action to support a United Auto Workers (UAW) staff member affected by a job reclassification dispute. The recent ruling, seen as a win for taxpayers, ends a long legal battle between the prosecutor’s office and the county executive. Lucido has pushed for financial transparency and respect for the county board’s decisions. After the board unanimously approved funds for outside legal help, Lucido called on Hackel to stop delaying and be more transparent. “Every time the executive drags these disputes through the courts, it costs money that could be spent on public safety and services. He should at least disclose what he spent,” Lucido said in his statement to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.
