Walker Republican received large donations from Lee Chatfield, who is now accused of sexual assault, bribery, embezzlement
LANSING – As disturbing new details continue to come out this week about disgraced former GOP Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, Republican state Sen. Mark Huizenga must address whether he’ll return $20,500 in campaign donations from Chatfield-connected campaign committees.
Huizenga, R-Walker, has not addressed the stunning news about the criminal investigation into Chatfield, including allegations in a report by The Detroit News that the former speaker sexually assaulted his sister-in-law in 2021 and recorded the attack on a cell phone.
Chatfield-connected campaign committees made large donations to two of Huizenga’s committees between 2018 and 2020, according to campaign finance reports. During that period, investigators allege Chatfield was operating a “criminal enterprise” out of his public office, and detail instances of cashing out campaign donations and paying family members who weren’t doing work, as well as illegally peddling and using the prescription drug Adderall.
Huizenga is facing Democratic state Rep. David LaGrand of Grand Rapids to represent the 30th Senate District, which covers parts of Kent and Ottawa counties.
“At every campaign stop, voters should ask Mark Huizenga about receiving large sums of money from an alleged rapist who also is accused of skirting campaign finance laws and paying family members who weren’t actually working,” said Bill Saxton, chair of the Kent County Democratic Party. “West Michigan voters want representatives in Lansing who are trustworthy and transparent. Mark Huizenga’s continued silence about the unfolding criminal case against his Republican colleague Lee Chatfield shows he is neither of those.”
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