Livingston Today

An unnamed Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) employee who tweeted recently that Howell should be the first city in Michigan to burn has received a 10-day suspension and may face additional charges.

According to Livingston Daily, the Tweet from a now-deleted account read: “the first city to burn in michigan should be Howell, all in favor say I.”

Howell Police Chief Scott Mannor told Livingston Daily that he felt subsequent threats to city and county buildings amid recent protests against police brutality were inspired by the Tweet.

"She got the whole ball rolling," Mannor said. "Somebody threatens to burn the city, by God there needs to be some discipline."

While charges of making a terroristic threat in Michigan can result in a felony conviction, up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000, Livingston County Prosecutor Bill Vailliencourt is currently awaiting resubmission of an incomplete report from the Howell Police Department before determining if charges are warranted.

"The matter was returned for further investigation to the Howell Police Department. It has not been completed or submitted to us to review," Vailliencourt said in an email to Livingston Daily.

Vailliencourt said that once a complete report is submitted, his office will determine whether or not to issue charges.

MDHHS has not released the name of the employee who wrote the Tweet. 

In an email to the Livingston Daily, Lynn Sutfin, a spokesperson for MDHHS, said that the employee has expressed remorse and will receive additional training after serving the suspension. There was no specification on what form of training the employee would receive in response to the Tweet.

State Rep. Hank Vaupel (R-Fowlerville) shared Mannor’s dissatisfaction with the level of consequences the MDHHS employee has received so far.

On the Michigan House Republicans website, Vaupel said, “This type of rhetoric shouldn’t be tolerated from anyone, let alone a state employee.”

“I fully support the efforts of Howell police in seeking charges against this individual for their remarks,” Vaupel told Michigan House Republicans. “While the Michigan Department of Health and Human services is in the process of investigating the employee, the department should publicly detail the corrective and disciplinary action it will be issuing if it finds the employee in violation of department rules."