Midland Republican received $53,000 in contributions from Lee Chatfield, refuses to address bombshell details of scandal
LANSING — Republican state Rep. Annette Glenn has been shockingly silent on her GOP colleagues’ decision to use taxpayer dollars to cover legal fees incurred by Michigan House employees questioned as part of the criminal investigation into former Speaker Lee Chatfield.
Disturbing new details about the criminal investigation into Chatfield continued coming out on Monday, when The Detroit News reported that Chatfield’s sister-in-law told authorities that the former speaker sexually assaulted her in June 2021 and “recorded the encounter on his cell phone.”
Glenn has not addressed previous campaign contributions of more than $53,000 from Chatfield-connected political action committees, according to campaign finance filings. That’s surprising as details first reported last week by The Detroit News lay out allegations that Chatfield operated a “criminal enterprise” along with alleged incidents of embezzlement, bribery and campaign finance violations.
Glenn, of Midland, faces Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet of Bay City for the 35th Senate District, which includes parts of Bay, Midland and Saginaw counties. Glenn recently made comments about limiting the use of taxpayer dollars at a candidate forum at Saginaw Valley State University, according to the political newsletter Gongwer.
“If Annette Glenn really did care about taxpayer money, she would give back these massive contributions from an accused sex offender and stand up to her Republican colleagues who have already wasted nearly $18,000 of taxpayer funds to pay attorneys to represent House employees caught up in the growing Chatfield scandal,” said Brandell Adams, treasurer of the Saginaw County Democratic Party. “Moderate, mainstream voters of the 35th Senate District want to know they can trust that their representatives in Lansing have their interests at heart. It’s clear Annette Glenn will put her Party’s interests over the interest of the taxpayers.
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