. 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. Chatfield ran to the right of then-Rep. Frank Foster in a Republican primary in 2014 to win his seat in the Michigan House. Owen did not return my messages seeking comment. The schedule for office hours is as follows: Monday, September 16, 10:00-11:00 a.m. McKinley Township Hall 1820 N. U.S. Highway 31 Pellston, MI 49769 Friday, October 11, 11: . Allegations of sexual assault and financial impropriety, Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, attempted to overturn the results of the presidential election, AP Interview: Chatfield says taxes at pump should fund roads, Meet the Republican Who Lost His Election Fighting for LGBT Rights, Outgoing House Speaker had big wins on auto insurance and criminal justice, but pandemic was a stumbling block, "Chatfield detained at airport after loaded gun found in carry-on", "State rep pays one fine, another to be determined", "Michigan House speaker pays $1,960 fine for gun incident at airport", "Rep. Chatfield introduces bill to eliminate pistol registration mandate", "Trump Targets Michigan in His Ploy to Subvert the Election", "Top GOP state lawmakers set to visit White House amid election fight", "GOP leader Chatfield says state's Electoral College must vote for Biden or 'we would lose our country forever", "State police investigating sexual abuse allegations against ex-Speaker Chatfield", "Former House Speaker Lee Chatfield admits affair, denies sexual assault allegations from sister-in-law", "Former Michigan lawmaker accused of molesting 14-year-old", "Lee Chatfield's Dad Preaches About Truth as Son Faces Sex Abuse Allegation from His Sister-in-Law", "Michigan State Police raid home of ex-Speaker Chatfield's top staffers", "Stateside Podcast: Lee Chatfield under investigation", "House speaker orders lawmakers, staff to retain records in light of Chatfield allegations", "Southwest Michigan First Announces Lee Chatfield as New CEO", "Former Michigan House speaker's new job spurs backlash", "Chatfield will support expanding civil rights protections in new post", "Lee Chatfield resigns from new job after pushback on LGBTQ policy positions", Speakers of the Michigan House of Representatives, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lee_Chatfield&oldid=1131863430, Republican Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 6 January 2023, at 03:20. There is no job too small or too great that doesn't equally impact our future. Rebekah acknowledged to the Bridge that at times it was she who initiated contact with Lee, but denied that it was consensual. Hauck did not provide additional details about his discussion with Chatfield. [7], Chatfield was a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. He claimed to Bridge that hed worked in Lansing as Lees driver and would take the rising politician to strip clubs and to meet with various women, including a former staffer. 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. Stephen Mayne sat down with him for this week's Chairman interview - the first of 2018 . [17], Due to term limits, Chatfield was ineligible to run for another term in the Michigan House of Representatives. Rebekah claimed the assaults began when she was 15 or 16 years old at Northern Michigan Christian Academy, a private school in Burt Lake where Lee taught and coached soccer before he launched his political career. In 2017, a local Rotary Club posted the above photo of the Chatfields and wrote, "Representative Lee Chatfield and his wife Stephanie at this year's Diamonds & Denim event at Bay Harbor . 43w. Rebekah, now 26, filed the criminal complaint with the Lansing Police Department against Lee, 33, she said in several interviews with Bridge Michigan. Alec Baldwin says he's complying with 'Rust' probe despite 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. Chatfield's sister-in-law, Rebekah, reportedly told investigators that her husband Aaron would cash checks from Anne Minard and give the lucre to then-Speaker Chatfield around the time he took trips to Detroit, Miami, Las Vegas, Aspen and the Bahamas. Experienced Sales / Branch Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the construction, Mining & Hospitality industry. 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. 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. Under Michigan law, the age of consent in 16, however it is illegal for teachers to have any type of penetrative sex with a student under the age of 18. "Lee portrays himself as a family tradition, conservative guy who believes in the Bible and the Bible is so important," the younger Chatfield said. Let's hope they do, without fear or favor. 03 9328 . Wentworth, through his spokesman, declined my invitation to explain why Anne Minard remains on the state payroll but is no longer serving as treasurer to his PACs and, based on the notation "no other vendor," appears to be persona non grata when it comes to his political funds. "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. "During their affair, this woman regularly contacted Mr. Chatfield to initiate sexual encounters, and she took steps to hide the affair from others, including her husband. "It's hard to turn a mayor down," Soave testified in 2013 during Kilpatrick's trial on public corruption charges. When I was in my darkest place, I didnt know what else to do, and he continued to remind me that I didnt have, really, anyone else but him, she said. In January 2020, Daly was one of Chatfield's guests at Whitmer's 2020 State of the State address and sat on the House floor next to Rob Minard, the speaker's chief of staff, The News reported in October. Opinion: I'm a Michigan lawmaker. He was speaker pro tempore from 2017 to 2019, and speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021. "I think hes kinda the perfect person to be the frontman," said Paquette, who referenced Chatfield's background as a Christian school teacher who won his seat by unseating an incumbent GOP representative. One of those firms is Governmental Consultant Services, Inc., also known as GCSI. 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 Minards' lawyer, Gerry Gleeson, also declined to provide those answers. On one occasion two years ago, Rebekah said she and Aaron were visiting Lees officewhen he asked Aaron to go pick up a pizza. [3] The district was created in 1965, when the . "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. [13][11][14], In February 2022, state police searched the home of Chatfield's former top staff members, Rob and Anne Minard. Whitmer formally blocked the Muskegon County casino project in June after the City of Detroit lobbied hard against the proposal. That money was used to support Republican candidates with donations of up to $10,000 and, no doubt, generate the kind of goodwill and support that helped Wentworth become speaker in 2021. Chatfield was a teacher, coach and athletic director at the school. The partnership between Wentworth and the Minards was lucrative, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to the PACs. Jack "Jackey" Chatfield is an American politician, businessman, and rancher, currently serving as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives. Full QLD Squad. LaPorte did not return my message. If the attorney general's affidavit is accurate, Chatfield also funded his lavish lifestyle with money from people who wanted to make friends with one of the most powerful elected officials in Michigan. Foster supported expanding civil rights protections in Michigan to . Scheduling an inspection. Chatfield's actions as speaker are the subject of an ongoing probe into an alleged "criminal enterprise." [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. 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. In his final year in office, Chatfield attempted to help GCSI secure support for a new off-reservation tribal casino in Muskegon after the firm quietly got involved on behalf of another lobbying firm through a loophole in the state's lobby law. Plea deals typically only reveal a portion of what law enforcement has learned during an investigation. Republican Lee Chatfield is under police investigation over claims of sexual assault. The assaults allegedly began when she dated the politicians younger brother and continued until 2021, she told the outlet. Paquette said he privately clashed with Chatfield about his approach to leadership and cozy interactions with lobbyists. My whole world was the Chatfield family, she said. 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 . State Representative Jack Chatfield represents Colfax, Curry, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, and Union ", "Scofes and Associates were leadingthe lobbying team, and they retained GCSI," Shields said. Lee Chatfield was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2014. "What she is saying, I don't believe," Paul said, adding that "the best-case scenario is, I'm disappointed. However, proposed road infrastructure improvements became mired in deadlock, with Chatfield rejecting a proposal by Whitmer to fund road repairs by raising the gas tax by 45 cents. , , . The last payments from Wentworth's PACs to Victor Strategies were made on Feb. 5, with the notation "bookkeeping no other vendor." Students attending Chatfield High School have been very upset about the recent events regarding racial discrimination. Mr. Lee Roberson Chatfield (born May 25, 1988) is an American politician and a Republican former member of the Michigan House of Representatives. Most relevant. And I know the only way to get justice for this is to come forward and to file a criminal (complaint) against him.. 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. Her and her family, theyre working through it. Rebekah and Aaron were engaged in June 2014 and married two months later, according to Bridge. It's important to note that search warrant affidavits contain what investigators think they can prove if a judge authorizes a search warrant. But he did not assault this woman in any manner during their years-long adult relationship. "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. Trials yield truths like contractor Tony Soave's confession: "It's good to be friends with the mayorof the city where you are working.". . Michigan House of Representatives District 107 is represented by Neil Friske (R). "The bigger issue is the disclosure of all of this spending," state Rep. Gary Howell, R-North Branch, said of Chatfield's travel habits. 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. 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. Lee married his high school sweetheart, Stephanie (Zondervan), and they have four sons and one daughter. Egan reported that she did not respond to specific questions about how she would handle a conflict involving one of her husband's clients. Get email updates for new Salesperson jobs in Chatfield, TX. When she was 18 she married Aaron Chatfield, Lee's brother. Elected in 2019, Chatfield represents the 67th district, which includes Tucumcari, New Mexico, Ute Lake State Park, and Clayton Lake State Park. Hauck said he urged the speaker not to go forward with the resolution. Chatfield won the primary and the general election . Electoral College. So we're left with the public record, which raises some serious questions that deserve answers. Chatfield's sister-in-law, now 26, has claimed the 33-year-old former lawmaker sexually assaulted her from the time she was 15 until July 2021, her attorney tells PEOPLE. Aaron Chatfield, Lee's younger brother, spoke with Bridge Michigan and said he supports his wife. I always had questions, he told Bridge. Dismiss. But she and her mother, Debbie Newbury, both told that Bridge Michigan Lee urged her to stay in his family's orbit. U14*- Born 2009, 2010 - Players must be at secondary school (Yr 9) to be eligible for selection. Michigan is currently one of two states where the governor's office and lawmakers are exempt from open records requests, meaning letters, emails and text messages between Chatfield and lobbyists about pending bills can remain secret. "[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. $805,700. She said he had affairs and was in a sexual relationship with the victim, but they were both adults when the affair took place. Racial incident not representative. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Mark N. Clement. He was re-elected to the state Legislature in 2016 with 67 percent of the vote, and in 2018, with over 58 percent of the vote. 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. At one point, her family discussed sending her to a public school. State budget documents listed Chatfield as the legislative sponsor of the allocation and said the money would go to the construction of a venue. Michigan State Police are investigating former state House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) after a woman filed a criminal complaint accusing him of sexually assaulting her over 12 years, beginning when she was 14 or 15 years old, according to police and the complainant's attorney. His current term ends on December 31, 2024. [3] Whitmer signed the bill, but with 147 line-item vetoes plus several administrative transfers.[3]. Lee Chatfield, the then-Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, speaks during a campaign rally in Muskegon, Michigan, on October 17, 2020. [3] Negotiations for long-term road funding broke down, and Legislature passed a bill without support from Whitmer's administration. "Theres enough there," Thomas said. 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.. She said that she eventually stopped resisting. Chatfield's attorney, Mary Chartier, defended the three-term lawmaker in a statement. [18], Chatfield's hiring caused a backlash due to Chatfield's past stances in opposition to LGBTQ rights. Getty Images. Chatfield's brother Aaron reportedly told investigators that Lee Chatfield asked him to buy Adderall for a lobbyist buddy. Over the past four years, Wentworth's campaign committee and two PACs paid the Minards' Victor Strategies more than $11,000, primarily for consulting and bookkeeping. Governmental Consultant Services, Inc.'s logo in the window of the multi-client lobbying firm's downtown Lansing office. "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. Gretchen Whitmer on Saturday questioning why the legislature was not warned about the plot to take . 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. After three two-year terms, Chatfield's career as a state representative ended on Dec. 31, 2020. We've received your submission. Lee pressured her into unwanted sex in a separate room before his brother returned, she alleged. I didnt know there were options for therapy.. Chatfield, the youngest House speaker in more than a century, was the Republican leader for two years and was among seven Michigan GOP lawmakers who met with then-President Donald Trump at the . In addition, according to the affidavit, Aaron Chatfield "acquired Adderall for the lobbyist Noel LaPorte one time." "My dad was a recovering alcoholic, and so I believe that Lee used those [circumstances] against me and helped take advantage of me. Because sunlight may be the only disinfectant that will help us clean up Michigan politics. View 1 property photo, floor plans and Kalkallo suburb information. Become a subscriber. His attorney acknowledged he had a relationship with Rebekah while he was married but said she was mischaracterizing a consensual affair between adults. Lee Roberson Chatfield (born May 25, 1988) is an American politician and a Republican former member of the Michigan House of Representatives. Anne Minard reportedly said she was not aware of any "unethical or illegal" use of funds, but conceded Lee Chatfield's spending was "excessive.". Anne Minard's day job is event planner for the Michigan House Republican Caucus, a gig paid for with $40,000 of our tax dollars. Samantha has 8 jobs listed on their profile. Their visit to Washington comes as Trump . But it's a bit more understandable since they appear to be in the crosshairs of an epic investigation into possible criminal wrongdoing. But there's no guarantee every suspicion and suspect mentioned in an affidavit will be confirmed or charged with a crime. The Levering Republican paid $1,960 to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after he brought the weapon to the Pellston Regional [] On required lobbyist disclosures, GCSI and its clients reported spending about $18,000 on food, drink and trips for Chatfield over his six years in Lansing, an average of $3,000 in expenditures per year. And based on what we've seen so far, Lansing looks mighty murky. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle noticed Chatfield's close connections to GCSI while he had the power to set the agenda in the state House.