A prominent Lansing lobbyist is out of a job at a major law firm after opining to The Detroit News about the stalemate over the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
Brad Williams, a director of Clark Hill Public Strategies, the lobbying arm of the Clark Hill law firm, criticized House Speaker Matt Hall’s opposition to the opening of the new Detroit River bridge in an interview with The News published on June 17.
“The speaker’s out on an island on this one,” Williams said. “… Legislators want to be part of that legacy, creating an icon for the state — and it cost us nothing.”
Williams was fired by Clark Hill within a day of his comments being published for violating a firm policy prohibiting commenting to the media without permission, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.
Del Chenault, a principal for Clark Hill Public Strategies in Lansing, and a public relations representative for the Detroit-based law firm did not respond to requests for comment. Williams confirmed he’s no longer employed with the firm, but declined to comment. Clark Hill has removed its biography of Williams from its website.
Williams had been a multi-client lobbyist at Clark Hill Public Strategies for about a year after spending 17 years as a lobbyist for the Detroit Regional Chamber. In recent days, he has launched a new firm, Peninsula Public Affairs.
At his weekly Capitol press conference Tuesday, Hall denied that he got Williams fired for the critical comments about him.
“I never spoke to anyone about that,” Hall said. “Was he fired? I have no idea.”
“I didn’t ask anyone to fire Brad Williams,” the Kalamazoo County Republican added.
Williams spent years advocating for the construction of a new publicly owned Detroit River bridge while working for the Detroit Regional Chamber and in a previous job as a legislative liaison at the Michigan Department of Transportation.
In the June 16 interview with The News, Williams argued that most lawmakers are now embracing the $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge, noting some legislators wanted to be invited to a planned June 12 ribbon-cutting ceremony that was scuttled amid an ongoing stalemate between President Donald Trump’s administration and Canadian leaders over a new trade agreement.
In fielding questions about Williams’ ouster, Hall did respond to the lobbyist’s comment about his stance that Michigan got a “bad deal” for a bridge that Canada paid for.
“I’m obviously not on an island,” Hall said.
clivengood@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lobbyist out of job after criticizing GOP leader on Gordie Howe bridge
Reporting by Chad Livengood, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chad Livengood, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
