Anonymous wrote:Wow, bad week for former Republican Michigan House Speakers, as both Lee Chatfield and Jason Wentworth have serious problems.
“Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office is now investigating a $25 million, no-bid grant awarded to a former legislative aide to ex-House Speaker Jason Wentworth, a state health department official confirmed Tuesday.
As first reported by Bridge Michigan, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General began investigating a grant to build a Clare health campus in March because of possible double payments involving a nonprofit led by David Coker, the former aide.”
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-attorney-general-investigating-25m-grant-ex-house-speakers-aide
Update: Prosecutors allege David Coker Jr., a legislative staffer for Michigan House Speaker Jason Wentworth in 2019 and 2020 and a former chair of the Clare County Republican Party, funneled money from Complete Health Park to his consulting firm and then into personal bank accounts, spending the cash on lavish purchases like gold, platinum, vehicles and firearms.
He has pleaded not guilty to various charges, which include acquiring or maintaining a criminal enterprise, making false pretenses, abuse of public money and two counts of embezzlement of $100,000 or more, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/ex-cfo-i-was-fired-after-raising-concerns-over-25m-earmark-project/