"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.". Questions about Soave's relationship with local officials circulated for years. Full QLD Squad. 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. They "ran that whole church and school," she said. 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. Burns also said that Chatfield sometimes used a not-for-profit social welfare organization to pay his monthly rent, which an expert said may run afoul of federal tax laws. [2][3] Chatfield criticized Foster for supporting Medicaid expansion[3] and for supporting an extension of Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing and employment.[2]. In addition, according to the affidavit, Aaron Chatfield "acquired Adderall for the lobbyist Noel LaPorte one time." 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. Sales Representative. 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. The actions that she took prove a consensual affair and not an assaultive relationship," Chartier also said. Explosive allegations about excessive political spending were revealed this week in the ongoing investigation into former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield. Secretary of State lobbyist disclosure records show that GCSI spent more than $9,000 wining and dining Chatfield. The pain, he said, goes very deep, calling his older brother the person I looked up to most in the world., Lees father, Rusy Chatfield, who founded the church and school where his son taught told Bridge the allegations are false.. The 2017-18 version of the bill passed the Senate but stalled in the House despite Chatfield's advocacy behind the scenes for its passage. View job description, responsibilities and qualifications. 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. [7], Chatfield was a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. The News' wide-ranging investigation revealed GCSI lobbyists wined and dined Chatfield like no other House speaker in the past decade, picking up the tab for thousands of dollars in free food, drink and travel that was nearly six times what the firm disclosed spending on Chatfield's three immediate predecessors combined. The affidavits also said Anne Minard believed Chatfield abused Adderall, a drug used to treat attention deficit disorder that also acts as a stimulant. "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. 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. [20] A few days after beginning his new job, Chatfield resigned, citing the controversy.[21]. Lee married his high school sweetheart, Stephanie (Zondervan), and they have four sons and one daughter. In exploring the links between Chatfield and GCSI, The News also learned Chatfield won a $1 million appropriation for a Petoskey-area performing arts center whose board members at the time included the wife of GCSI CEO and co-owner Mike Hawks. 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). Lee Chatfield, the one-time state House of Representatives speaker, denies any criminal wrongdoing; says sex with woman, who'd eventually wed his brother, was consensual. View 1 property photo, floor plans and Kalkallo suburb information. "My whole world was the Chatfield family," said Rebekah, who also attended the school-affiliated Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church where Rusty Chatfield, her father-in-law, is a pastor. The accuser, now 26, filed a criminal complaint with the Lansing Police Department, which referred it to state police earlier this week. Soon after GCSI got involved, Chatfield joined the campaign for the project. 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. Their visit to Washington comes as Trump . At some point in 2020, GCSI, which had been working for the Gun Lake tribal casino located between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, and Noel LaPorte, another Lansing lobbyist who has worked with GCSI on other matters, began talking to lawmakers on behalf of the Little River Band. Southwest Michigan First, a Kalamazoo-based economic development organization, has named former House Speaker Lee Chatfield as CEO. That didn't answer my questions, but it sure did ease my mind. Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Wakefield chairman John Minards confident in clubs hybrid Belle Vue pitch, SC House Freedom Caucus takes colleagues to federal court on free speech grounds, Michigan coronavirus cases: Tracking the pandemic. [3][8] Paul Mitchell, the U.S. representative for Michigan's 10th congressional district, said that the purpose of the meeting may have been to discuss the appointment of pro-Trump electors to the U.S. 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. Chris Thomas, Michigan's former 36-year elections director whose office oversaw lobbyist disclosures, said the issue of whether the representation of the Little River Band was properly disclosed would come down to the specifics of how GCSI and LaPorte were paid and whether Scofes and Associates was simply used as a "pass-through" for money from the Little River Band. Gretchen Whitmer and the GOP-controlled Legislature. Neither of the 19-year olds were prepared for marriage, and had second thoughts, the report said. "They dont have the time to manage bringing other consultants on.. It's more than four times what they spent on Wentworth, who succeeded Chatfield as speaker. "Thats how he moved his agenda, Greig said of the relationship. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, The News' wide-ranging investigation revealed GCSI lobbyists wined and dined Chatfield, like no other speaker of the House in the past decade, Great Lakes Center for the Arts Facebook page, the federal government made determinations in favor of the Muskegon County project, formally blocked the Muskegon County casino project in June, visited amid a push to overturn the 2020 election, lobbyists must report only purchases for an officeholder that amount to over $66 in a month or $400 in a year, of sexually abusing her beginning when she was 15 years old, 5 revelations in the Chatfield investigation search warrant affidavits, Ex-House Speaker Lee Chatfield's ties to marijuana industry getting scrutiny from investigators. In 2017, the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency said the Detroit Salt Company was the only business of four road salt suppliers with state contracts that would have benefited from the change. Chatfield ( Republican Party) ran for re-election to the New Mexico House of Representatives to represent District 67. Rebekah claims the abuse began when she was a student at Northern Michigan Christian Academy, where Lee was a teacher and an athletic director. Michigan needs comprehensive reform of its lobbying laws to require better disclosure of gifts, food, drink and travel for lawmakers, said Brewer, a former Michigan Democratic Party chairman. The previous three House speakers received a combined total of $4,180 in food and drink from all Michigan lobbyists over eight years. "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. Elected in 2019, Chatfield represents the 67th district, which includes Tucumcari, New Mexico, Ute Lake State Park, and Clayton Lake State Park. . On one occasion two years ago, Rebekah said she and Aaron were visiting Lees officewhen he asked Aaron to go pick up a pizza. SOLD JUN 10, 2022. Paul Chatfield, another younger brother who also worked with Lee in politics, said he believes Lee engaged in inappropriate behavior with Rebekah but questions her timeline. 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. Speaker Chatfield's heavy-handed approach to Representative C.A. For now, it would be nice for Speaker Wentworth to explain why you should continue to pay the salary of a state employee who he apparently doesn't feel is fit to continue working for his political entities. He was first elected from the 107th House district in 2015. 25 1988) , ' . Along the way, investigators will likely uncover evidence that may embarrass and expose benefactors and members of both political parties. The Michigan state legislature is working to ensure that its residents have oversight over Democratic Gov. Politicians sometimes create multiple PACs so that donors who hit their contribution limit to one account can essentially give as much as they want as long as there are enough PACs to which they can max out. 03 9328 . A former Australian Schoolboys and Queensland Under 18 representative player, Howarth is in his second season in the Melbourne Storm's top 30 squad. Skilled in Cold Calling, Heavy Equipment, Metal Fabrication, Behaviour Based Safety, and Business Relationship Management. I don't want to get ahead of myself again so far everyone connected to the Chatfield matter accused of wrongdoing has professed their innocence but I love trials. He's also facing allegations of financial misconduct. The woman who accused former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield of multiple sexual assaults since she was a teenager was revealed to be his own sister-in-law.. Rebekah Chatfield, who is married . Scofes and Associates did report hiring the other lobbyists in an arrangement that clouded the public's ability to know GCSI and LaPorte were working on behalf of the tribe. Opinion: I'm a Michigan lawmaker. But there's no guarantee every suspicion and suspect mentioned in an affidavit will be confirmed or charged with a crime. 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. We've received your submission. 2 Beds. Her lawyer, Jamie White, confirmed the nature of the allegations first reported by Lansing City Pulse, including that Chatfield began molesting her more than a decade ago and the sexual contact continued until last year. The chatter grew so loud it prompted Hauck to meet with Chatfield, whose district was 200 miles from where the casino would be located. Rebekah, now 26, filed the criminal complaint with the Lansing Police Department against Lee, 33, she said in several interviews with Bridge Michigan. 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 . He hailed from a northern Michigan district with other tribal casinos that could compete with a Muskegon gambling hall for patrons. 182 talking about this. That's more than 10 times what they spent on Tom Leonard, who preceded Chatfield as speaker. Gretchen Whitmer named to lead Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), which is one of the state's largest and most far-reaching government agencies. When the time came to raise big bucks in 2017, Anne Minard signed on as treasurer of the Wentworth Majority Fund Political Action Committee. Ft. 7830 Richwood Dr, ORLANDO, FL 32825. 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. Ill talk to Aaron, you guys are getting married. Rebekah Chatfield told Bridge. Strong sales / Operations professional graduated from Southern Cross University. 2 Baths. 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. If state officials learned only one thing over the past decade or so, it should be that we want to know whether the water we're drinking is clean. Stephanie Chatfield, 28, wife of Michigan State Representative Lee Chatfield (R-Levering), also 28, wrote in a Facebook post Friday about an incident in which she was apparently sexually assaulted . Chatfield, a prolific fundraiser, was part of a culture in Lansing that emphasized raising money and chasing campaign checks, a system that effectively empowered the lobbyists because they controlled the money, Paquette said. [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. 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. She did what shes supposed to do. The tribe's lobbyist in Lansing was the multi-client firm Scofes and Associates Consulting. "It's hard to turn a mayor down," Soave testified in 2013 during Kilpatrick's trial on public corruption charges. Rebekah said she finally told her husband, Aaron Chatfield, her mother and other family members in December, when she also notified police in Lansing, Michigan, who referred the complaint to Michigan State Police. Thanks for contacting us. 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. So he would manipulate me, he would mess with my emotions.. Police say they are continuing to investigate. In 2018, Orlene Hawks, wife of GCSI leader Mike Hawks, was on the arts center's board of directors. Soave testified that Hizzoner didn't pay a dime for the flights, which added up to about $400,000. 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. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. "And we will continue to advocate for our clients using the highest standards of professionalism which has been the basis for our reputation and continued growth and success.". His brother also worked for Representative Chatfield while he was Speaker. Daly also is president of a company called "Barton Re Ventures." "The fundamental evil we're fighting is the lack of . LaPorte declined to comment for this article. He assumed office on January 1, 2019. Getty Images. Former House Speaker Lee Chatfield, right, stands on the House floor with his chief of staff Rob Minard. (Rusty has told local news outlets her claims are false.). "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. Get email updates for new Salesperson jobs in Chatfield, TX. IE 11 is not supported. When she was 18 she married Aaron Chatfield, Lee's brother. Anne Minard was treasurer of each of Chatfield's PACs. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. "The question should be asked and looked into.. Experienced Sales / Branch Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the construction, Mining & Hospitality industry. As senior representatives of our school . Lee pressured her into unwanted sex in a separate room before his brother returned, she alleged. According to the News, the Attorney General investigator's affidavit said Chatfield asked his brother Aaron to buy Adderall for GCSI lobbyist Gary Owen. "I just saw the way he looked at her," Aaron said. During Chatfield's tenure, lobbyists from GCSI became a regular presence within the speaker's office and occasionally consumed alcohol there with Chatfield, according to four sources who had routine interactions with Chatfield but declined to be identified because of concerns about GCSI's ongoing influence over state government. He went on to become the youngest speaker of the House in more than 100 years, according to his biography on the . 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. Lee Chatfield, the then-Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, speaks during a campaign rally in Muskegon, Michigan, on October 17, 2020. 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. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan House of Representatives Speaker and Republican Lee Chatfield . Johnson is a testament to either a fundamental misunderstanding, or a willful and intentional misapplication of appropriate action. "He did not assault this woman in any manner during their years-long adult relationship," the attorney, Mary Chartier, said. "And it needs to stop.. There is no job too small or too great that doesn't equally impact our future. State Rep. Lee Chatfield is inviting residents to join him during local office hours for the months of September and October. 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. Chatfield ran to the right of then-Rep. Frank Foster in a Republican primary in 2014 to win his seat in the Michigan House.