Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Wife Charged with Political Fund Misuse

Former Michigan House leader Lee Chatfield and his wife have been charged with misusing political funds for personal expenses, including travel and housing. The couple allegedly used a "unregulated slush fund" and family members to funnel money for their benefit. Chatfield faces 13 charges, including conducting a criminal enterprise and embezzlement, while his wife was charged with embezzlement. The attorney general criticized the state's campaign finance laws as ineffective in deterring such crimes and called for expanded financial disclosure laws. The investigation began in 2022 after allegations of sexual assault against Chatfield, which he denied, and has since expanded to include financial crimes.