After reviewing more than 1,000 pages of records detailing Chatfield's political funds and a nonprofit he used to advance his political agenda, I reported in August that Chatfield's spending looked a lot like the kind of financial chicanery that helped former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick earn a 28-year prison sentence for public corruption. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, accused former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, Ex-con sentenced to 37 to life in prison for brutal rape inside NYC sidewalk shed, Lawyer attacked by client who allegedly decapitated lover withdraws from case, Behind teen girls sky-high depression: Forced sex, social media, Woke LA DA suspends lead prosecutor of trans woman convicted of molesting 10-year-old girl. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan House of Representatives Speaker and Republican Lee Chatfield . Chatfield's actions as speaker are the subject of an ongoing probe into an alleged "criminal enterprise." Phone and text messages seeking comment were left by the AP Thursday night for Chatfield, 33, who left the House in 2020 due to term limits. The photos, tweeted by journalist . Todd McInturf / The Detroit News. According to Crain's Detroit Business, Chatfield confirmed he would be moving to Kalamazoo.The former representative from Levering, who was term-limited after six years in the state House, is no friend to the LGBTQ community. As senior representatives of our school . "Thats how he moved his agenda, Greig said of the relationship. [20] During his tenure in the Michigan House, Chatfield had opposed such an expansion, which he viewed as an infringement on religious freedom. When she was 18 she married Aaron Chatfield, Lee's brother. Neither of the 19-year olds were prepared for marriage, and had second thoughts, the report said. He was first elected from the 107th House district in 2015. But on Feb. 25, 2021, about two months after Chatfield left office, the House approved a symbolic resolution in opposition to off-reservation gaming. In the 2019-20 session, as speaker, Chatfield again pushed to advance the legislation without success because of opposition from members of his own caucus and his staff. Anne Minard was treasurer of each of Chatfield's PACs. The U/19's double-header will kick off the 2022 Representative Round weekend with Ampol women's State of Origin to follow on Friday, international Test matches on Saturday before Ampol Men's State of Origin on Sunday completes the round. He hailed from a northern Michigan district with other tribal casinos that could compete with a Muskegon gambling hall for patrons. Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said at some point Chatfield changed his position. Since no one has accused Wentworth of wrongdoing, it would seem there's no good reason for him to clam up when one of his employees has given us reason to wonder whether state government is corrupt. Minard and his wife, a fellow House staffer, controlled the finances of a dark money nonprofit linked to Chatfield, while owning a consulting firm that was paid nearly $500,000 from various funds tied to the former House speaker. Percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.1%. Lee Chatfield was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2014. The actions that she took prove a consensual affair and not an assaultive relationship," Chartier also said. Jack "Jackey" Chatfield is an American politician, businessman, and rancher, currently serving as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives. Elected in 2019, Chatfield represents the 67th district, which includes Tucumcari, New Mexico, Ute Lake State Park, and Clayton Lake State Park. GCSI represents Ann Arbor-based cannabis entrepreneur James Daly, who hired Chatfield's brothers Aaron and Paul as well as Paul's wife, Hannah, in 2020 to work in his Herbana marijuana retail stores. Strong sales / Operations professional graduated from Southern Cross University. No, it couldnt be further from who my man was as a person.. The alleged assaults began when the then-14- or 15-year-old girl attended Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church and Northern Michigan Christian Academy near Burt Lake, about 60 miles northeast of Traverse City, White said.The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they choose to come forward publicly. But she and her mother, Debbie Newbury, both told that Bridge Michigan Lee urged her to stay in his family's orbit. Rep. Kara Hope, D-Holt, said she was trying to create a safe work environment, but the House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, said the sign took away people's Second Amendment rights and . In addition, according to the affidavit, Aaron Chatfield "acquired Adderall for the lobbyist Noel LaPorte one time." Lee Roberson Chatfield (born May 25, 1988) is an American politician and a Republican former member of the Michigan House of Representatives. $252,000 Last Sold Price. A talented group of Queensland Under 19 players will this month step up preparations for the 2022 representative clash against New South Wales. , , . For a decade, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians sought an off-reservation casino in Muskegon County, a project that supporters argued would generate an estimated $200 million a year in revenues for the tribe. "Rebekah Chatfield believed the money was used by (Lee) Chatfield to pay for hotel rooms, travel, prostitutes and controlled substances," the affidavit said, according to the News. Hawks and his wife, Orlene Hawks, the director of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, hosted Chatfield on at least two occasions at their summer home in the upscale resort community of Bay Harbor, according to a source familiar with the Chatfield-Hawks relationship who was not authorized to speak because of an ongoing criminal investigation. "It's hard to turn a mayor down," Soave testified in 2013 during Kilpatrick's trial on public corruption charges. He was first elected to serve the 107th state House District in 2014. Rep. Terry Sabo, D-Muskegon, who supported the casino project near his district, said there was a "sense of urgency" among lobbyists working for the Little River Band to get something done by the end of 2020 because they felt Chatfield was in support and he was departing the Legislature by the end of that year. Which is too bad, because I have a lot of questions for him about one of his employees, who is at the heart of what could turn out to be one of the biggest scandals in Michigan political history. Lee Chatfield, speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives penned to a letter to Gov. His father is pastor of the church, the school superintendent and a teacher. I wanted to keep him happy.". In 2018, Chatfield attempted to bring a loaded, unregistered handgun onto a commercial flight at Pellston Regional Airport. State Rep. Lee Chatfield is inviting residents to join him during local office hours for the months of September and October. Newbury told Bridge Michigan her daughter, then 16, was "old enough to make her own decisions" and so Rebekah moved in with her father, who lived about an hour from the school and church compound in Burt Lake, Michigan. Scheduling an inspection. Minard and her husband, Rob, have been in the news since January, when their roles as key aides to Chatfield emerged in the wake of accusations that Chatfield had sexually assaulted his sister-in-law. [5] He also paid a $1,960 fine from the Transportation Security Administration. [3] Chatfield and the Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey both repeatedly clashed with Whitmer over issues such as the state budget, road funding, auto insurance legislation, and criminal justice legislation. Queensland Women's U/19's. Jacinta Carter (Wynnum Manly Seagulls) Jetaya Faifua (Tweed Seagulls) Jada Ferguson (Tweed Seagulls) Sunny Gerrard (Burleigh Bears) House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Rep. Jim Lilly were photographed on Friday night indulging in a bottle of Dom Perignon at the hotel's Benjamin Bar & Lounge. Catch up fast: The state investigation began in January after Chatfield's sister-in-law, Rebekah Chatfield . But they declined to answer questions from The News about the firm's relationship with Chatfield, issuing a statement saying they operate in "an extremely competitive, regulated lobbying environment. According to the House Republicans, the district features Chippewa, Emmet and Mackinac counties and a portion of Cheboygan County. Thanks for contacting us. Chatfield was a master of this; he had four PACs. 1,056 Sq. The City of Detroit is another GCSI client. Lee's attorney told PEOPLE on Friday that he is "innocent of the false rape claims made against him," adding that he had an affair with his accuser while he was married but that the relationship was consensual and happened while both were over the age of 18. Ill talk to Aaron, you guys are getting married. Rebekah Chatfield told Bridge. "I didn't want to get on the wrong side of him. But it's a bit more understandable since they appear to be in the crosshairs of an epic investigation into possible criminal wrongdoing. She went to the immediate jurisdiction that she thought was appropriate, White said. Rebekah and Aaron were pushed to marry when at 19, after their families discovered they were having sex, according to the report. "Instead of him saying, 'Hey, you should listen to your parents' what they're supposedly preaching from these pulpits they started planting seeds in my head of why I shouldn't listen to them, and why I shouldn't trust them," Rebekah said. He was first elected from the 107th House district in 2015. Chatfield has said the relationship was consensual. He went on to become the youngest speaker of the House in more than 100 years, according to his biography on the . Samantha has 8 jobs listed on their profile. Rebekah, now 26, filed the criminal complaint with the Lansing Police Department against Lee, 33, she said in several interviews with Bridge Michigan. "He destroyed me, and has controlled my life since I was 15-16, the past 10-11 years," Rebekah Chatfield told Bridge Michigan in a series of interviews, published Friday, about the allegations against her brother-in-law. In mid-February 2021, after leaving office, Chatfield was appointed as the new CEO of Southwest Michigan First, a privately funded economic development organization covering the seven counties of southwest Michigan (Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren). The investigation began in January after Lee Chatfield's sister-in-law, Rebekah Chatfield, accused him of sexually abusing her beginning when she was 15 years old. She recalled one time where Lee allegedly visited with his wife and two children, And during my husbands soccer game, she said, he took me back to my house and assaulted me.. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. Elected at age 30; he was believed to be the youngest House speaker in recent memory. Lee, a Republican, was the youngest person to serve as Speaker of the House in Michigan in over 100 years. January 27, 2022, 11:25 AM. Getty Images. He said he didn't know about the alleged sexual abuse though he "always had questions.". If they follow the trail where it appears to be leading, investigators could expose the incestuous relationship between the deep-pocketed individuals, industries and special interests who provide the money that gets candidates elected, that helps ambitious politicians rise to power, that shapes regulations and legislation, and that pays for the expensive suits and hairdos of the lobbyists who practice the alchemy that passes for public policy in one of the most ethically challenged states in the nation. Terry Burns, executive vice president of the auto dealers association, acknowledged to The News that the group never reported the arrangement because of a broad exemption in state regulations for transactions made in "the ordinary course of the lobbyist's business." But he said they could get more information. Most relevant. Representative Chatfield and other House Republican supporters believe the bill would increase economic development by keeping money in family's pockets. Rebekah Chatfield, who is married to the former Michigan state representative's younger brother Aaron, gives details of alleged abuse that began years ago when she was a teenager Rebekah said Lee would find reasons to text her late at night, and enter the guest room and grope her. In a bid to gain support, Chatfield unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a deal pairing the salt bill with another more popular proposal to improve state data on child abuse cases, according to two sources who were involved in the discussions but declined to speak on the record because they fear retribution. The chatter grew so loud it prompted Hauck to meet with Chatfield, whose district was 200 miles from where the casino would be located. All players must be registered at Netball North Harbour to be eligible for trials. Chatfield, the youngest House speaker in more than a century, was the Republican leader for two years and was among seven Michigan GOP lawmakers whomet with then-President Donald Trump at the White Houseas Trump tried to overturn Democrat Joe Bidens win in the state. State budget documents listed Chatfield as the legislative sponsor of the allocation and said the money would go to the construction of a venue. Chatfield says according to press reports he had an "affair" with his brother's wife but it began when she was an adult and denies the rape allegation. "GCSI advised the city they were representing a group trying to build a Muskegon casino," said Stephanie Washington, chief of staff to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, in a statement. Chatfield's brother Aaron reportedly told investigators that Lee Chatfield asked him to buy Adderall for a lobbyist buddy. [6] Chatfield had previously introduced a bill in the Michigan House of Representatives to make handgun registration voluntary. Email. Twenty-eight players have been invited to take part in the Queensland Rugby League's training squad at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre in Brisbane from May 15 until May 17. What she is saying, I dont believe, Paul Chatfield said, adding that the best-case scenario is, Im disappointed in his brother. Gretchen Whitmer and the GOP-controlled Legislature. [11][12], The sexual abuse is alleged to have begun when the girl was attending Chatfield's church, Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church, and continued while she was a student at the school associated with the church, where Chatfield taught physical education. RT @CraigDMauger: Former Rep. Frank Foster, a Republican who pushed for this change in 2014 and lost a primary race against Lee Chatfield, is in the Senate gallery this morning. Another of Lee's brothers, Paul Chatfield, 27, said he believes there was "inappropriate behavior" between his sister-in-law and older brother but questioned her account of the alleged abuse in terms of when it started and how far it escalated. What's your enquiry about? Rep. Chatfield sets local fall office hours. Lee Roberson Chatfield (born May 25, 1988) is an American politician and a Republican former member of the Michigan House of Representatives. I had a lot of family stuff going on in my life, she told Bridge. The Emmet County Republican's rental of the Lansing apartment from the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association likely skirted the spirit of the state's lobbying law, one expert said, because the trade group never disclosed the transactions over six years. SOLD JUN 10, 2022. Getting to the bottom of Chatfield's relationship with GCSI has the potential to get messy. "Mr. Chatfield believes that an objective review of the facts rather than mere speculation designed to gain media attention and the publics interest will show that his actions and all financial actions were in accord with the law," Chartier said. We've received your submission. When Wentworth first ran for state representative in 2016, the Farwell Republican's wife, Heather, was treasurer of his campaign. "Lee and I probably work more closely together than any other legislator and I know from working with him on tribal issues in the past he is very responsive to the tribal values and sovereignty," LaPorte wrote. The night before the wedding, while Rebekah was crying inside of the Chatfields home, she alleged Lee offered to comfort her, before forcing her into a closet for a sex act. And based on what we've seen so far, Lansing looks mighty murky. . She claimed the assaults continued more times than I can count. State Rep. Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, is the new Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. There is no subtlety on GCSI's website about what they offer clients: "We are grateful for the strength of our strategic relationships and the access we possess to key elected and influential government officials who make daily decisions affecting many of our clients.". After he finished he said, Dont worry. Lee Chatfield has denied wrongdoing and said he had a consensual affair. The congressional report on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack lays out how Trump and his allies targeted Michigan in an effort to overturn the election. In 2018, "the Great Lakes Center for the Arts reached out" to Chatfield requesting assistance with an economic development project in his House district, according to Orlene Hawks' statement. Chatfield and Shirkey both opposed Whitmer's actions to use a government shutdown on business during COVID. The Little River Band needed the federal government's support and the backing of Democratic Gov. [1], Chatfield was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2014, after defeating a Republican incumbent, Frank Foster, in the primary election. Interviews with more than 30 sources and a review of previously unreported documents underscore how Michigan's lax ethics laws shielded ties between Chatfield and GCSI from the public spotlight and provided ways for the once powerful lawmaker and the multi-client lobbying firm to avoid disclosure of their collaboration. Plea deals typically only reveal a portion of what law enforcement has learned during an investigation. "I dont know if we ran out of time or what the real reason was," said Hauck, whose district includes the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe's Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant. According to the News, the Attorney General investigator's affidavit said Chatfield asked his brother Aaron to buy Adderall for GCSI lobbyist Gary Owen. Because of Michigan's lack of an open records policy covering lawmakers, the House wouldn't have to disclose Chatfield's letter. A GCSI-affiliated lobbyist who also did not disclose his work on the casino project once bragged to clients he and Chatfield worked "more closely together than any other legislator," according to emails obtained by The News. The affidavits also said Anne Minard believed Chatfield abused Adderall, a drug used to treat attention deficit disorder that also acts as a stimulant. Trial on public corruption charges told that Bridge Michigan Lee urged her to stay in his family orbit! 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