(Source: MIRS.news, Published 05/10/2024) (EAST LANSING) -- Former House Speaker Lee Chatfield and his wife were photographed, fingerprinted and submitted a DNA sample as court-ordered Friday in their criminal case at 54B District Court.
The couple were accompanied by their respective attorneys, Mary Chartier and Matt Newburg. As part of their agreement, both Lee and Stephanie Chatfield also surrendered their passports.
Friday’s processing was an arranged step in the criminal case since the initial arraignment earlier this month took place over video.
Chatfield was arraigned on 13 counts, including conducting a criminal enterprise. His wife, Stephanie Chatfield, was arraigned on two counts, including embezzlement from a nonprofit organization.
The Attorney General alleges Lee Chatfield paid off $132,000 in purchases on his personal credit card with money from the Peninsula Fund, a 501(c)(4) social welfare fund, which the AG calls a political slush fund. Of that amount, the AG flagged $1,700 as being personal expenses, according to the charging document.
Stephanie Chatfield is accused of assisting with improperly charging the family’s personal expenses and paying the credit card bill with monies from the Peninsula Fund.
The couple return to court June 6 for a probable cause conference and preliminary examination. Chartier said she and Newburg hope to begin seeing the Attorney General’s evidence as discovery begins next week.
“I think there were a lot of missteps that the Attorney General’s office made, so we will be doing our own investigation, as well,” Chartier said. Asked to elaborate on “missteps,” Charter said, “I think that this is politically motivated against Mr. Chatfield and that leads me to believe that they did not do a thorough, fair and comprehensive investigation.”
Gathering information and testimony from other legislators – past or present, Democrats or Republicans – has not been ruled out.
Lee Chatfield served as Speaker in 2019 and 2020. He left due to term limits. His wife is a teacher.