Former state House speaker wants embezzlement, other charges dismissed

East Lansing, Mi-lawyers for former homes speaker Lee Chatfield and his spouse, Stephanie, requested a choose to reject fees that claimed monetary crimes in opposition to the couple.

After two days of witness geared toward receiving cash from Peninsula Fund, a non -profit company, mileage charges and journey to the Bahamas and elsewhere, protection legal professionals stated that fees must be rejected in opposition to the couple.

Decide Molly Hennessy Greenwalt in East Lansing, on the finish of a preliminary investigation to find out whether or not the chatfields must be on trial within the Circuit Courtroom of Ingham County, stated on Friday 28 February that she would make a written choice.

Nevertheless, the choose gave the prosecution for 30 days to submit a short about authorized points, with the protection having 30 days to reply.

The Workplace of State Legal professional Normal Dana Nessel filed 13 fees in opposition to Lee Chatfield, who served as a home speaker in 2019-20 -20. His spouse is confronted with two fees.

Public Prosecutors claimed that she had entry to the Peninsula Fund to cowl private bank card prices. Lawyer Matthew Newburg stated this was hypothesis.

“To be sincere, I do not know what Mrs Chatfield’s conduct is a criminal offense,” he instructed the choose.

“The fees in opposition to her should be rejected.”

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Textual content reviews between the couple confirmed concern about their private bank card that was used for private {and professional} prices. In a single case, Lee Chatfield took a donor to dinner and wished to make certain that he had sufficient cash to cowl the invoice.

“There can be no purpose to panic concerning the stability on (a private bank card) if (Stephanie Chatfield) had the cash from the peninsula,” stated Newburg.

The lawyer of Lee Chatfield, Mary Chartier, stated that witness confirmed that funds obtained its consumer from the Peninsula fund was authorised by the President of the Fund and a legislation agency employed to make sure compliance with the fund coverage.

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Chatfield, a republican of supply, had helped to gather hundreds of thousands of {dollars} for the fund, she stated.

“You do not stroll in a good, revered legislation agency, with many individuals there, if it is your intention to darken,” stated Chartier.

Nevertheless, the legislation agency had seen some questionable reimbursements.

The previous chairman of the peninsula, Anne Minard, and Robert Minard, each former Chatfield -Employees workers, ready for the trial as a result of alleged eclipse funds of three non -profit organizations and a political motion committee, or PAC, certain to Lee Chatfield, say officers of justice.

Chartier stated that Lee Chatfield had nothing to do with the peninsula fund “aside from amassing cash” for it.

Assistant -Procurer -Normal Kahla Crino stated that the Peninsula Fund Funds on the Credit score Card of the Chatfields, which was used for costly holidays and different expenditures.

She stated that the peninsula fund lined a seafood dinner, drinks, groceries and $ 229 on towels in a surf retailer. And a go to of $ 600 to a spa.

“To get much more pleasure and rest on the dime of the Peninsula Fund,” she stated. She seen a “good household dinner compliments from the Peninsula Fund.”

The Peninsula Fund was supposed for use for social welfare functions. She stated that donors embody ‘famend organizations and people’.

Lee Chatfield is accused of 4 counts of embezzlement by a non -profit, three counts of embezzlement by an official of greater than $ 50, three counts of darkening, performing a legal firm, conspiracy to darken a non -profit and the charity.

Stephanie Chatfield is confronted with a number of counts of darkening a non -profit and conspiracy to commit embezzlement by a non -profit.