State Attorney General Bill Schuette says he’s ready to go in front of a federal bankruptcy judge to defend the Detroit Institute of Arts’ collection.
We have more from The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher
The attorney general already released an official opinion that the DIA’s art is held in a public trust. He says that means it cannot be sold to satisfy Detroit’s creditors in bankruptcy.
Schuette spokesperson Joy Yearout says he’ll take that position in front of Judge Steven Rhodes if the city puts the collection on the table.
“There will be opportunities for all the parties in the bankruptcy to provide feedback on a proposed plan, and that’s when the attorney general will be able to weigh in,” she says.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean Schuette’s opinion will carry much weight during the proceedings.
Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr this week hired Christie’s auction house to appraise the DIA’s collection.