In response to yet another scandal from for-profit prison food vendor, Gov. Snyder issues a strongly-worded sentence

Sex scandals. Passing drugs to inmates. Running out of prison food. Maggots in prison food. MORE maggots in prison food. And now more sex scandals. All of this from one for-profit vendor for food in Michigan prisons: Aramark. In all, over 80 of their employees have been banned from Michigan prisons because of inappropriate conduct.

Here’s the latest:

In a development a Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman said was “unprecedented,” four Aramark prison workers at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia were fired today for having inappropriate sexual contact withinmates inside a walk-in cooler, a Corrections Department official confirmed.

“It’s unprecedented that four workers at the same facility, in the same day, are placed on stop order,” said Corrections Department spokesman Russ Marlan. […]

The conduct involved kissing and sexual touching with several inmates, but no intercourse, Marlan said. The firings reduce Aramark staff at Bellamy from 14 to 10 and help will need to be brought in from elsewhere, Marlan said.

“I don’t believe all four of them were in the cooler at the same time,” Marlan said.

Gov. Snyder’s response? Well, just this:

Sara Wurfel, spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Snyder, said on Wednesday that the governor “has strong and serious concerns,” and “these things must get addressed and resolved. “Quality, safety and security are simply imperative,” Wurfel said.

Spokesman Russ Marlan said the corrections department plans to review the status of the Aramark contract at the end of July.

Let’s just hope nobody is killed as a result of Aramark’s ineptitude and scandals before then.

Republicans who defend the privatizing and profitization of prison food think this is just sour grapes from disgruntled union members:

Republican Joe Haveman says its been getting more publicity that it deserves and he thinks the allegations have been exaggerated by Union officials unhappy that the kitchens were privatized.

Yeah, we’re all just exaggerating bringing prisoners drugs, multiple sex scandals, running out of food, and maggots in the food area. Nothing to see here. Please move along.

[Facepalm CC image credit: Alex Proimos | Flickr]