"They dont have the time to manage bringing other consultants on.. Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Berrien Springs Michigan House of Representatives Chatfield's financial activities, while he was a top lawmaker, are now under criminal investigation by Attorney General Dana . Paquette said he privately clashed with Chatfield about his approach to leadership and cozy interactions with lobbyists. Job Description. She also described a sense of belonging within the school and church community with the Chatfield family at its center and a culture that valued hierarchy, male superiority and sexual purity. In 2019 before GCSI began lobbying for the casino Chatfield told Ananich he opposed the project, Ananich told The News. [18], Chatfield's hiring caused a backlash due to Chatfield's past stances in opposition to LGBTQ rights. GCSI represents multiple clients who are regulated by LARA. Every TruGreen associate is committed to quality. Gretchen Whitmer on Saturday questioning why the legislature was not warned about the plot to take . We all have an important role to play in the success of our company. Chatfield was term limited from office in 2020. [3] Chatfield, along with Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, met with Trump on November 20, 2020, as Trump and his campaign attempted to overturn the results of the presidential election, in which Trump was defeated by Joe Biden (both nationally and in Michigan). [3], As speaker, Chatfield presided over the passage of a bipartisan auto insurance bill that allowed motorists to chose their level of personal injury protection coverage. Most relevant. "And it needs to stop.. 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. She also served as treasurer when Wentworth started his second PAC. She did what shes supposed to do. But she and her mother, Debbie Newbury, both told that Bridge Michigan Lee urged her to stay in his family's orbit. She was an adult woman when their affair began, and she chose to continue the affair," the attorney continued. Catch up fast: The state investigation began in January after Chatfield's sister-in-law, Rebekah Chatfield . The emerging details of how Chatfield used his influence have the potential to spur an overhaul of how Lansing operates as Democrats prepare to take control of the House and Senate in January. After the first alleged instance of unwanted sexual contact, Rebekah said, she didn't tell anyone about it because she was afraid of how the Chatfields would react. Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said at some point Chatfield changed his position. . He destroyed me, and has controlled my life since I was 15-16, the past 10-11 years, she said. But it wasn't until he testified to providing then-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his family with about 20 round-trip flights to the Bahamas, Florida, New York and Texas on Soave's private jet that we learned how he greased the gears of government. The sister-in-law of a former, high-ranking Republican leader in Michigan accused the lawmaker of sexually assaulting her for years when she was an underaged teen, officials said Monday.. Lee Chatfield, 33, who served as speaker of the state House of Representatives in 2019 and 2020, denies any criminal wrongdoing and instead admits to extramarital but consensual sex with the accuser . State police spokesperson Shanon Banner declined to provide additional information. In October, The News first reported that Nessel's investigators have inquired about how three Chatfield siblings landed jobs at the same cannabis retailer that is represented by GCSI lobbyist Gary Owen. Getty Images. That's more than 10 times what they spent on Tom Leonard, who preceded Chatfield as speaker. Rebekah acknowledged to the Bridge that at times it was she who initiated contact with Lee, but denied that it was consensual. Chatfield is notable for his homophobia. It's unclear if Nessel's office is investigating GCSI, though the jobs Chatfield's brothers landed with one of the firm's clients while he was speaker have caught the attention of investigators, The Detroit News reported in October. No, it couldnt be further from who my man was as a person.. Thanks for contacting us. The Little River Band didn't begin meeting with Chatfield until 2020 to make the case for the proposed casino near Muskegon, Shields said. Despite helping him climb to the top, it appears the heat of the spotlight trained on the Minards got too hot for Wentworth. However, the jobs did not have to be reported on any required disclosures from Lee Chatfield while he served as speaker of the House, with the power to set policies affecting the marijuana industry. Rebekah said Lee would find reasons to text her late at night, and enter the guest room and grope her. Easy 1-Click Apply (LIVEOPS) Remote Work-From-Home Independent Contractor - Call Center Representative job in Chatfield, MN. Aaron Chatfield, Lee's younger brother, spoke with Bridge Michigan and said he supports his wife. Chatfield's lawyer claimed that the search was an attempt to falsely connect Chatfield to financial improprieties. Most prosecutors and judges prefer plea deals to trials. Current representative: The current representative for the 107th District is Rep. Lee Chatfield (R-Levering). "And I know the only way to get justice for this is to come forward and to file a criminal [complaint] against him.". Chatfield's brother Aaron reportedly told investigators that Lee Chatfield asked him to buy Adderall for a lobbyist buddy. The psychological abuse wore her down, she said, and she stopped resisting. I didnt know there was an option to report. GCSI and its employees spent $6,898 on food and drink for Chatfield over his two years as speaker. [13][11][14], In February 2022, state police searched the home of Chatfield's former top staff members, Rob and Anne Minard. In 2018, Orlene Hawks, wife of GCSI leader Mike Hawks, was on the arts center's board of directors. Last name. Hauck did not provide additional details about his discussion with Chatfield. It's more than four times what they spent on Wentworth, who succeeded Chatfield as speaker. Chatfield won the primary and the general election . 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." Detroit officials argued it would open the door for off-reservation gambling halls in the suburbs and diminish a vital source of tax revenue for the city, which has three casinos. Jason Wentworth is the Speaker of the Michigan House, but he's not speaking. Owen did not return my messages seeking comment. View job description, responsibilities and qualifications. Chatfield received a bachelor's degree from Northland International University, a Baptist college in Wisconsin, and a master's degree from Liberty University in Virginia. The Little River Band needed the federal government's support and the backing of Democratic Gov. 5 bedroom house for sale at Lot 35128 Souter Avenue (Cloverton), Kalkallo, VIC 3064, $793,008. Rebekah Chatfield, who is married to the politicians younger brother, claims the former speaker assaulted her more times than I can count beginning when she was 15 years old more than a decade ago. He left office in 2020 due to term limits. In December 2020, GCSI Chief Executive Hawks was present in the speaker's office when then-President Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, visited amid a push to overturn the 2020 election, according to two sources. We are looking forward to building on our very successful 2022 campaign where our Opens and U14 A Team won there respective tournaments. So if I told (the Chatfields), that would, that would ruin everything. And he walked out., After Rebekah and Aaron were married, the affair allegedly continued while the two went off to separate colleges. As an unofficial driver for his brother, who was elected to the Michigan legislature in 2014 and served three two-year terms, Aaron told Bridge Michigan he drove Lee to strip clubs and to meet up with women, including a former staffer. All players must be registered at Netball North Harbour to be eligible for trials. Greg Reid. [3] Negotiations for long-term road funding broke down, and Legislature passed a bill without support from Whitmer's administration. Man shoots motorcyclist dead during argument at North Caro 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Mike McCarthy shreds ex-Cowboys coordinator after firing, Family raises 250-pound 'dog' for 2 years then realizes it's a bear, 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards: Lana Del Ray, Kim Petras, & more, RHOA star Drew Sidora accuses ex Ralph Pittman of cheating, mental abuse, Original Gone With The Wind script reveals secret war over slavery, cut scenes, Good luck 'worming' your way out of this one, Sunny Hostin Points Finger at China for COVID Crisis: Did Not Cooperate With the International Community, Kanye West and 'wife' Bianca Censori look surprisingly happy on dinner date. 03 9328 . Steve Scofes, the owner of Scofes and Associates Consulting, said state law allows lobbyists to hire other lobbyists for projects and to report them as their own clients without the organization being represented disclosing the connection. 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 That said, it is clear the attorney general's investigators believe they are peeling back the layers of an onion that will make anyone who cares about integrity and good government weep bitter tears. Scheduling an inspection. Michigan reports 7,483 new COVID-19 cases, 139 deaths over past week. Mary Chartier, Chatfield's attorney, said the claims of rape are false and he is innocent. Lee portrays himself as a family tradition, conservative guy who believes in the Bible and the Bible is so important, said Aaron, 26. He denies wrongdoing. Their affair lasted for years, but they were both consenting adults, she said. Chatfield's support for the Muskegon area casino project came after he expressed his opposition to a fellow legislative leader a year earlier. It has caused great pain to his wife and family, and they are working through this together. . Updated, 6:40 p.m. Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield only had to pay half the fine he was originally slapped with after bringing a loaded, unregistered handgun to an airport last summer, The Detroit News reported. Michigan House of Representatives District 107 is represented by Neil Friske (R). [20] A few days after beginning his new job, Chatfield resigned, citing the controversy.[21]. There are few independent directors as passionate and successful as Neil Chatfield. His father is pastor of the church, the school superintendent and a teacher. Chatfield ( Republican Party) ran for re-election to the New Mexico House of Representatives to represent District 67. Lee Chatfield was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2014. "Whatever 'details' this woman is now claiming are irrelevant because Mr. Chatfield did not rape her, and he will provide evidence to the police as they conduct their investigation.". [17], Due to term limits, Chatfield was ineligible to run for another term in the Michigan House of Representatives. 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. 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. "The fundamental evil we're fighting is the lack of . The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy discovered that after 10 years or a 3% reduction rate Representative Chatfield's legislation would save families who earn $0-$21k only 56 dollars a year and families that make $39k to $62k . In December 2020, the federal government made determinations in favor of the Muskegon County project. In addition to billing itself as "Michigan's premier bipartisan lobbying firm," GCSI's CEO is married to Orlene Hawks, who Democratic Gov. "[10], On January 6, 2022, The Detroit News reported Michigan State Police were investigating Chatfield over allegations that he sexually abused a girl for 12 years, beginning in 2009 when she was between 14 and 15 years old and continuing until 2021. During Chatfield's tenure as speaker of the House, Michigan had divided government, with both chambers of the legislature controlled by Republicans, but with a Democratic governor (Gretchen Whitmer). 1,056 Sq. Rebekah and Aaron were pushed to marry when at 19, after their families discovered they were having sex, according to the report. I always had questions, he told Bridge. [5] He also paid a $1,960 fine from the Transportation Security Administration. Let's hope the Attorney General's investigators, who work for an agency headed by Democrat Dana Nessel, don't flinch if the trail leads them in the direction of other Democrats, or their allies. Since Aaron learned about his brothers years of assault on his wife in December, he has been supportive of his wife and is confident she is telling the truth, he alleged. In a September 2017 email to the leaders of another tribe, before LaPorte began working with the Little River Band, LaPorte touted his connection with Chatfield, who in his third year in office was in line to be elevated to speaker in 2019. "The bigger issue is the disclosure of all of this spending," state Rep. Gary Howell, R-North Branch, said of Chatfield's travel habits. State Rep. Lee Chatfield is inviting residents to join him during local office hours for the months of September and October. Amber McCann, Nessel's spokeswoman, declined to comment on whether the former speaker's ties to GCSI are part of the ongoing investigation. Lee has not commented on the accusations, but his attorney Mary Chartier told The Bridge in a statement that both were consenting adults in the relationship. "They preach at the pulpit that the men are always right, the women have no say," she said. He was speaker pro tempore from 2017 to 2019, and speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021. What's your enquiry about? Become a subscriber. Lansing Former House Speaker Lee Chatfield repeatedly provided favorable treatment to a prominent Lansing lobbying firm's clients while receiving personal benefits in a relationship that exposes weaknesses in the state's scant ethics laws, a Detroit News investigation shows. She still serves as the director of LARA, which oversees professional licensing and regulates the liquor and marijuana industries. Republican Lee Chatfield is under police investigation over claims of sexual assault. Bills in the 2017-18 and 2019-20 sessions would have required the state to give a preference in bidding contracts to firms that mine products in Michigan. That's unfortunate, because elected officials have an obligation to speak out on important matters, such as whether we can trust them and their staff unless the official thinks there's a chance he someday will have to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. 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This is about the integrity of the chamber," said Rep. Joe Tate, a Detroit Democrat. Police say they are continuing to investigate. (Rusty has told local news outlets her claims are false.). Gretchen Whitmer and the GOP-controlled Legislature. After he finished he said, Dont worry. 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. ", "For four decades, GCSI has fostered and built relationships with a variety of leaders and lawmakers in both parties as well as with different organizations and we will continue to do so in compliance with state and federal laws," the statement by Hawks, Profit and Farrah said. Orlene Hawks told my colleague Paul Egan in 2019 that she has "served the people of Michigan with the utmost honesty and integrity" throughout her career as a state employee. He's also facing allegations of financial misconduct. Chatfield was a master of this; he had four PACs. The relationship between lobbyists and lawmakers in Lansing for many years has been too cozy for my taste. Michigan's lack of an open records law covering legislators makes it impossible to obtain Chatfield's email communications about the $1 million appropriation. Nearby homes similar to 1370 Chatfield Pl have recently sold between $252K to $362K at an average of $235 per square foot. 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. Her mental health reached a breaking point in December, when she finally shared her trauma with them and subsequently filed the police report, according to Bridge. Lee Chatfield, speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives penned to a letter to Gov. Guest Service Representative at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Greater Saginaw-Midland-Bay City Area. In 2018, Chatfield attempted to bring a loaded, unregistered handgun onto a commercial flight at Pellston Regional Airport. Yet nonprofits tied to Michigan lawmakers can raise and spend money in secret so there are no public details of the expenditures, including $1.5 million in expenses Chatfield's Peninsula Fund made while he was House speaker. 43w. Rebekah tells a much different story. That relationship and access seems to have been especially strong with Chatfield. Rebekahs mother, Debbie Newberry, claimed to have seen a change in her daughters behavior in her later teenage years as Lee allegedly began to groom her daughter. 94,281 [2] Michigan's 107th House of Representatives district (also referred to as Michigan's 107th House district) is a legislative district within the Michigan House of Representatives located in parts of Cheboygan, Chippewa, and Mackinac counties, as well as all of Charlevoix and Emmet counties. 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