The former state president of the House of Representatives wants embezzlement, other dismissed positions

East Lansing, the lawyers of the former speaker of the Lee Chatfield house and his wife, Stephanie, asked a judge to dismiss the positions that allege financial crimes against the couple.

After two days of testimony focused on money received from the Peninsula Fund, a non -profit agency, mileage reimbursements and trips to the Bahamas and elsewhere, defenders said that the charges against the couple should be dismissed.

The District Judge of East Lansing, Molly Hennessy Greenwalt, at the close of a preliminary exam to determine if the Chatfields should be judged in the Ingham County Circuit Court, said on Friday, February 28, that she would issue a written decision.

However, the judge gave the Prosecutor’s Office 30 days to present a report on legal matters, and the defense has 30 days to respond.

The state attorney general’s office, Dana Nessel, presented 13 charges against Lee Chatfield, who served as president of the House of Representatives in 2019-20. His wife faces two positions.

The prosecutors alleged access to the Peninsula Fund to cover personal credit card expenses. Defensor lawyer Matthew Newburg said it was speculation.

“Frankly, I don’t know what is Mrs. Chatfield’s behavior that is a crime,” he told the judge.

“The charges against her must be fired.”

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Text messages among the couple showed concern about their personal credit card that was used for personal and professional positions. In one case, Lee Chatfield was taking a donor to dinner and wanted to make sure he had enough money to cover the invoice.

“There would be no reason to panic over the balance (a personal credit card) if (Stephanie Chatfield) had money from the peninsula,” said Newburg.

The lawyer of Lee Chatfield, Mary Chartier, said that the testimony showed that the funds that her client received from the Peninsula were legitimate expenses, approved by the president of the Fund, as well as a law firm hired to ensure compliance with the fund policies.

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Chatfield, a lever republican, had helped raise millions of dollars for the bottom, he said.

“You do not place in a law firm of good respect and respected, with many people there, if it is your intention to embezzle,” Chartier said.

However, the law firm had noticed some questionable refunds.

The former president of the Peninsula, Anne Minard, and Robert Minard, both former Chatfield employees, expect a trial for allegedly appropriating funds from three non -profit organizations and a political action committee, or PAC, linked to Lee Chatfield, prosecutors say.

Chartier said Lee Chatfield had nothing to do with Peninsula Fund “apart from raising money” for it.

The attached attorney general Kahla Crino said that the Peninsula fund covered the payments on the Chatfields credit card, which was used for expensive vacations and other expenses.

She said the bottom of the peninsula covered a seafood dinner, drinks, groceries and $ 229 in towels in a surf store. And a $ 600 visit to a spa.

“Even more fun and relaxation in the penny of the bottom of the peninsula,” he said. He pointed out a “good fulfillment of the family dinner of the Peninsula Fund.”

It was supposed that the bottom of the Peninsula would be used for social welfare purposes. She said donors included “organizations and individuals of good reputation.”

Lee Chatfield is accused of four embezzlement embezzlement charges of a non -profit organization, three charges of embezzlement for a public official of more than $ 50, three charges of embezzlement of funds, carrying out a criminal company, conspiracy for discomfort of a non -profit organization and violating the Caritable Finestment Law.

Stephanie Chatfield faces individual charges of embezzlement of a non -profit organization and conspiracy to commit embezzlement embezzlement of a non -profit organization.