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. 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. Chatfield's close ties to Lansing-based Governmental Consultant Services Inc. (GCSI) included renting an apartment from one of the firm's high-profile clients with regulatory issues before the Legislature and championing a bill that would have given another client a near-monopoly on contracts for road salt. Getting to the bottom of Chatfield's relationship with GCSI has the potential to get messy. I wanted to keep him happy.". One of those firms is Governmental Consultant Services, Inc., also known as GCSI. "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.". [5] He also paid a $1,960 fine from the Transportation Security Administration. "And it needs to stop.. 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 . Aaron claimed to remember his older brother being handsy with his then-girlfriend when they were younger. (. 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. 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. . "Lee portrays himself as a family tradition, conservative guy who believes in the Bible and the Bible is so important," the younger Chatfield said. Trials yield truths like contractor Tony Soave's confession: "It's good to be friends with the mayorof the city where you are working.". The affidavits also provide insights into what investigators have been told, as well as reveal some of the evidence they already have. "[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. Racial incident not representative. "Lee quickly took me in," Rebekah said, adding that her father's health began to decline and she became more involved with the Chatfield family. He left office in 2020 due to term limits. According to the Bridge Michigan report, state law generally sets the age of consent for sex at 16 but it's illegal for a teacher to sexually penetrate a student under the age of 18, though there is a statute of limitations on bringing some charges. Full QLD Squad. 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. Nearby homes similar to 1370 Chatfield Pl have recently sold between $252K to $362K at an average of $235 per square foot. [11][12], The sexual abuse is alleged to have begun when the girl was attending Chatfield's church, Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church, and continued while she was a student at the school associated with the church, where Chatfield taught physical education. Thanks for contacting us. [20] A few days after beginning his new job, Chatfield resigned, citing the controversy.[21]. 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. 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. Michigan House of Representatives District 107 is represented by Neil Friske (R). 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. Orlene Hawks was a member of the board at that time and resigned from it in 2019 after Whitmer appointed her director of the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. As of the 2020 Census, Michigan state representatives represented an average of 91,612 residents. But there's no guarantee every suspicion and suspect mentioned in an affidavit will be confirmed or charged with a crime. It's more than four times what they spent on Wentworth, who succeeded Chatfield as speaker. We've received your submission. 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. 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.. 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. Thanks for contacting us. Chatfield's letter of support to the federal government was sent on the same day in July 2020 as one from Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake. Speaker Chatfield's heavy-handed approach to Representative C.A. "I had a lot of family stuff going on in my life," Rebekah told Bridge Michigan. Jack Chatfield ( Republican Party) is a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, representing District 67. When she was 18 she married Aaron Chatfield, Lee's brother. According to the House Republicans, the district features Chippewa, Emmet and Mackinac counties and a portion of Cheboygan County. (Rusty has told local news outlets her claims are false.). 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. Michigan's lack of an open records law covering legislators makes it impossible to obtain Chatfield's email communications about the $1 million appropriation. Most relevant. A Gary Owen is listed as a director of the entity, according to state business records. While police launched an investigation, reporters began digging into Chatfield's campaign accounts. 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. We are looking forward to building on our very successful 2022 campaign where our Opens and U14 A Team won there respective tournaments. 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. I didn't know there was an option to report," she said. Along the way, investigators will likely uncover evidence that may embarrass and expose benefactors and members of both political parties. The chatter grew so loud it prompted Hauck to meet with Chatfield, whose district was 200 miles from where the casino would be located. Sales Representative. Foster supported expanding civil rights protections in Michigan to . Strong sales / Operations professional graduated from Southern Cross University. 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. The Michigan state legislature is working to ensure that its residents have oversight over Democratic Gov. He was speaker pro tempore from 2017 to 2019, and speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021. Chatfield ran to the right of then-Rep. Frank Foster in a Republican primary in 2014 to win his seat in the Michigan House. 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. The center didn't register to lobby state officials until 2021. Job Description. "My dad was a recovering alcoholic, and so I believe that Lee used those [circumstances] against me and helped take advantage of me. Search warrant affidavits The Detroit News obtained this month revealed that investigators for the Michigan Attorney General suspect Chatfield of being involved in a "criminal enterprise" involving embezzlement, bribery, tax evasion and misconduct in office. 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. "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. Questions about Soave's relationship with local officials circulated for years. Skilled in Cold Calling, Heavy Equipment, Metal Fabrication, Behaviour Based Safety, and Business Relationship Management. He said he didn't know about the alleged sexual abuse though he "always had questions.". He's also facing allegations of financial misconduct. He was first elected to serve the 107th District in northern Michigan . "There was an ongoing . "I didn't know there were options for therapy.". Opinion: I'm a Michigan lawmaker. ", "Scofes and Associates were leadingthe lobbying team, and they retained GCSI," Shields said. "There is too much money, flowing from undisclosed sources used for undisclosed purposes," Brewer said. I couldn't see what would happen past then. Yet, former House Minority Leader Chris Greig, D-Farmington Hills, said it was common knowledge in Lansing that Chatfield was tight with GCSI's lobbyists. Lee Chatfield has denied wrongdoing and said he had a consensual affair. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. Amber McCann, Nessel's spokeswoman, declined to comment on whether the former speaker's ties to GCSI are part of the ongoing investigation. Lee portrays himself as a family tradition, conservative guy who believes in the Bible and the Bible is so important, said Aaron, 26. 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. So if I told (the Chatfields), that would, that would ruin everything. 2 Beds. 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. Rebekah says the alleged abuse began with unwelcome touching and escalated to unwanted sex, which happened "more times than I can count." 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. Easy 1-Click Apply (LIVEOPS) Remote Work-From-Home Independent Contractor - Call Center Representative job in Chatfield, MN. Various groups including the City of Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo Promise, pulled support from Southwest Michigan First. Rebekah told Bridge Michigan she felt she had no way out from the relationship. Rebekah would allegedly stay at Lees home often, and she said the touching began as unwanted gropes in the basement stairwell, eventually progressing to sexual intercourse, she told Bridge. She claimed the assaults continued more times than I can count. LANSING State Rep. Jason Wentworth of Clare will be the new speaker of the House, Republican lawmakers announced Thursday. Chatfield has denied allegations he sexually . 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: . In a joint statement, Hawks and GCSI lobbyists and co-owners Kirk Profit and Barb Farrah said their firm prides itself on "the highest level of professionalism and ethical conduct when it comes to advocating" for its clients. "The bigger issue is the disclosure of all of this spending," state Rep. Gary Howell, R-North Branch, said of Chatfield's travel habits. In 2019 before GCSI began lobbying for the casino Chatfield told Ananich he opposed the project, Ananich told The News. View job description, responsibilities and qualifications. The City of Detroit is another GCSI client. She still serves as the director of LARA, which oversees professional licensing and regulates the liquor and marijuana industries. Price information. LaPorte did not return my message. Electoral College. When Wentworth first ran for state representative in 2016, the Farwell Republican's wife, Heather, was treasurer of his campaign. Rankey's LinkedIn profile says she is a former self-employed fundraising consultant who got a state job as Wentworth's director of legislative affairs before becoming his director of external affairs. Chatfield won the primary and the general election . Todd McInturf / The Detroit News. That didn't answer my questions, but it sure did ease my mind. Toward the end of 2020 during Chatfield's final months in office before term limits forced him out rumors percolated at the Capitol that the speaker was going to have the House take up a resolution in favor of the casino, said state Rep. Roger Hauck, R-Union Township, an opponent of the plan. 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