Governor Rick Snyder says he doesn’t know who donates to his so-called “NERD” fund.
Snyder made the claim under oath during his deposition this week in Detroit’s bankruptcy case.
As The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher reports, an early transcript of the deposition was made public Thursday.
Among other things, the NERD fund pays for Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr’s travel and living expenses.
Attorney Sharon Levine asked the governor about the fund on behalf of public employee unions. She says they want to make sure there are no conflicts of interest in Detroit’s bankruptcy proceedings.
“We thought it was important because it goes to understanding whether and to what extent there are influences other than simply just fixing Detroit’s financial issues,” he says.
Snyder has been pressed to make public the names of donors to the NERD fund. So far, he has refused.
A federal judge will begin hearings this month on whether Detroit is eligible to go through Chapter Nine bankruptcy.