We all have an important role to play in the success of our company. Chatfield's brother Aaron reportedly told investigators that Lee Chatfield asked him to buy Adderall for a lobbyist buddy. Gretchen Whitmer named to lead Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), which is one of the state's largest and most far-reaching government agencies. Rebekah said Lee would find reasons to text her late at night, and enter the guest room and grope her. The alleged assaults began when the then-14- or 15-year-old girl attended Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church and Northern Michigan Christian Academy near Burt Lake, about 60 miles northeast of Traverse City, White said.The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they choose to come forward publicly. If they follow the trail where it appears to be leading, investigators could expose the incestuous relationship between the deep-pocketed individuals, industries and special interests who provide the money that gets candidates elected, that helps ambitious politicians rise to power, that shapes regulations and legislation, and that pays for the expensive suits and hairdos of the lobbyists who practice the alchemy that passes for public policy in one of the most ethically challenged states in the nation. The woman who accused former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield of multiple sexual assaults since she was a teenager was revealed to be his own sister-in-law.. Rebekah Chatfield, who is married . Lee Chatfield was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2014. As of the 2020 Census, Michigan state representatives represented an average of 91,612 residents. There is no job too small or too great that doesn't equally impact our future. "Lee and I probably work more closely together than any other legislator and I know from working with him on tribal issues in the past he is very responsive to the tribal values and sovereignty," LaPorte wrote. Lee Roberson Chatfield (born May 25, 1988) is an American politician and a Republican former member of the Michigan House of Representatives. [3] The district was created in 1965, when the . Rebekahs mother, Debbie Newberry, claimed to have seen a change in her daughters behavior in her later teenage years as Lee allegedly began to groom her daughter. Mary Chartier, Chatfield's attorney, said the claims of rape are false and he is innocent. The salary range is from $54,001 to $81,085. Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said at some point Chatfield changed his position. IE 11 is not supported. Daly also is president of a company called "Barton Re Ventures." Over the past four years, Wentworth's campaign committee and two PACs paid the Minards' Victor Strategies more than $11,000, primarily for consulting and bookkeeping. Some lobbying firms even have fundraising facilities in their buildings that lawmakers can use to throw parties and raise dough. As long-time CFO of Toll Holdings he helped create a transport, logistics and infrastructure powerhouse, but since 2005 he's also been sitting on public company boards which have largely been a great success for shareholders. [3] Chatfield and the Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey both repeatedly clashed with Whitmer over issues such as the state budget, road funding, auto insurance legislation, and criminal justice legislation. First name. MACKINAC ISLAND Investigators have searched the northern Michigan home of former House Speaker Lee Chatfield, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed to Bridge Michigan on Wednesday. "Whatever 'details' this woman is now claiming are irrelevant because Mr. Chatfield did not rape her, and he will provide evidence to the police as they conduct their investigation.". The affidavits also provide insights into what investigators have been told, as well as reveal some of the evidence they already have. Jason Wentworth is the Speaker of the Michigan House, but he's not speaking. Become a subscriber. Rebekah said she finally told her husband, Aaron Chatfield, her mother and other family members in December, when she also notified police in Lansing, Michigan, who referred the complaint to Michigan State Police. LaPorte's firm, Capitol Advocacy Services Group LLC, is a registered lobbyist for other tribal casino operators, including the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, which runs the Odawa casinos in Petoskey and Mackinaw City in Chatfield's district in Emmet and Cheboygan counties. But she and her mother, Debbie Newbury, both told that Bridge Michigan Lee urged her to stay in his family's orbit. Shirkey and Representative Lee Chatfield, the top two Republican leaders of Michigan's legislative chambers, are set to meet with Trump on Friday. Rebekah and Aaron were pushed to marry when at 19, after their families discovered they were having sex, according to the report. Racial incident not representative. Lee, now 33, has not been charged and has vowed to "vigorously fight these false claims." Experienced Sales / Branch Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the construction, Mining & Hospitality industry. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Chatfield case could reveal the depth of Michigan's political cesspool, Whitmer named to lead Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Chatfield case could reveal the depth of Michigan's political cesspool, A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. [11][12], The sexual abuse is alleged to have begun when the girl was attending Chatfield's church, Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church, and continued while she was a student at the school associated with the church, where Chatfield taught physical education. Chatfield ( Republican Party) ran for re-election to the New Mexico House of Representatives to represent District 67. In response to the specific claims Rebekah gave to Bridge Michigan, Chartier reiterated that her client had an "affair with this woman [that] lasted for years, but they were both consenting adults over 18.". 5 bedroom house for sale at Lot 35128 Souter Avenue (Cloverton), Kalkallo, VIC 3064, $793,008. Chatfield was speaker of the state House from 2019 to 2020. So we're left with the public record, which raises some serious questions that deserve answers. Chatfield won the primary and the general election . (. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 6636 10th Ave Southwest, Rochester, Minnesota 55902. The previous three House speakers received a combined total of $4,180 in food and drink from all Michigan lobbyists over eight years. Every TruGreen associate is committed to quality. His current term ends on December 31, 2024. But they declined to answer questions from The News about the firm's relationship with Chatfield, issuing a statement saying they operate in "an extremely competitive, regulated lobbying environment. He claimed to Bridge that hed worked in Lansing as Lees driver and would take the rising politician to strip clubs and to meet with various women, including a former staffer. [3] Chatfield, along with Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, met with Trump on November 20, 2020, as Trump and his campaign attempted to overturn the results of the presidential election, in which Trump was defeated by Joe Biden (both nationally and in Michigan). Percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.1%. 25 1988) , ' . View 1 property photo, floor plans and Kalkallo suburb information. Chatfield was term limited from office in 2020. Gretchen Whitmer on Saturday questioning why the legislature was not warned about the plot to take . She was an adult woman when their affair began, and she chose to continue the affair," the attorney continued. "I didn't know there were options for therapy.". Chatfield's actions as speaker are the subject of an ongoing probe into an alleged "criminal enterprise." Students attending Chatfield High School have been very upset about the recent events regarding racial discrimination. Orlene Hawks was a member of the board at that time and resigned from it in 2019 after Whitmer appointed her director of the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Gretchen Whitmer and the GOP-controlled Legislature. During Chatfield's tenure as speaker of the House, Michigan had divided government, with both chambers of the legislature controlled by Republicans, but with a Democratic governor (Gretchen Whitmer). Ill talk to Aaron, you guys are getting married. Rebekah Chatfield told Bridge. Egan reported that she did not respond to specific questions about how she would handle a conflict involving one of her husband's clients. Another source who declined to be identified because of the ongoing investigation said Chatfield visited a home Hawks owned in Bay Harbor on at least two occasions. Lee Roberson Chatfield (born May 25, 1988) is an American politician and a Republican former member of the Michigan House of Representatives. If state officials learned only one thing over the past decade or so, it should be that we want to know whether the water we're drinking is clean. [3] Negotiations for long-term road funding broke down, and Legislature passed a bill without support from Whitmer's administration. [5] He also paid a $1,960 fine from the Transportation Security Administration. That relationship and access seems to have been especially strong with Chatfield. "Mr. Chatfield did not 'brainwash' the complainant, as she now claims. He was first elected from the 107th House district in 2015. In 2017, the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency said the Detroit Salt Company was the only business of four road salt suppliers with state contracts that would have benefited from the change. Rebekah claims the abuse began when she was a student at Northern Michigan Christian Academy, where Lee was a teacher and an athletic director. They wanted us to manage them," Scofes said of the Little River Band. RT @CraigDMauger: Former Rep. Frank Foster, a Republican who pushed for this change in 2014 and lost a primary race against Lee Chatfield, is in the Senate gallery this morning. January 27, 2022, 11:25 AM. Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Wakefield chairman John Minards confident in clubs hybrid Belle Vue pitch, SC House Freedom Caucus takes colleagues to federal court on free speech grounds, Michigan coronavirus cases: Tracking the pandemic. Queensland Women's U/19's. Jacinta Carter (Wynnum Manly Seagulls) Jetaya Faifua (Tweed Seagulls) Jada Ferguson (Tweed Seagulls) Sunny Gerrard (Burleigh Bears) But Shields, a longtime Republican political consultant, said the Little River Band's use of GCSI and LaPorte for lobbying on the casino project "was reported and transparent. He denies wrongdoing. Jack Chatfield ( Republican Party) is a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, representing District 67. TruGreen Neighborhood Lawn Sales Representative. Im rethinking every conversation I ever had with Lee, Aaron reportedly said. Stephen Mayne sat down with him for this week's Chairman interview - the first of 2018 . Hauck said he urged the speaker not to go forward with the resolution. Despite helping him climb to the top, it appears the heat of the spotlight trained on the Minards got too hot for Wentworth. In 2019 before GCSI began lobbying for the casino Chatfield told Ananich he opposed the project, Ananich told The News. Rep. Kara Hope, D-Holt, said she was trying to create a safe work environment, but the House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, said the sign took away people's Second Amendment rights and . For a decade, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians sought an off-reservation casino in Muskegon County, a project that supporters argued would generate an estimated $200 million a year in revenues for the tribe. In a bid to gain support, Chatfield unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a deal pairing the salt bill with another more popular proposal to improve state data on child abuse cases, according to two sources who were involved in the discussions but declined to speak on the record because they fear retribution. Stephanie Chatfield, 28, wife of Michigan State Representative Lee Chatfield (R-Levering), also 28, wrote in a Facebook post Friday about an incident in which she was apparently sexually assaulted . Former Michigan state Rep. Lee Chatfield's sister-in-law who accused him of sexually assaulting her for years, according to a recent criminal complaint being investigated by Michigan State Police has come forward to share details of what he allegedly did to her. [20] A few days after beginning his new job, Chatfield resigned, citing the controversy.[21]. He was speaker pro tempore from 2017 to 2019, and speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021. The partnership between Wentworth and the Minards was lucrative, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to the PACs. She said that she eventually stopped resisting. ", "For four decades, GCSI has fostered and built relationships with a variety of leaders and lawmakers in both parties as well as with different organizations and we will continue to do so in compliance with state and federal laws," the statement by Hawks, Profit and Farrah said. "They preach at the pulpit that the men are always right, the women have no say," she said. The Emmet County Republican's rental of the Lansing apartment from the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association likely skirted the spirit of the state's lobbying law, one expert said, because the trade group never disclosed the transactions over six years. In a joint statement, Hawks and GCSI lobbyists and co-owners Kirk Profit and Barb Farrah said their firm prides itself on "the highest level of professionalism and ethical conduct when it comes to advocating" for its clients. But he did not assault this woman in any manner during their years-long adult relationship. With trouble at home, she became more dependent on the Chatfield family, who ran that whole church and school that had become essential to her social life, she said. She also served as treasurer when Wentworth started his second PAC. And based on what we've seen so far, Lansing looks mighty murky. Among the other proposals Chatfield quietly championed in Lansing was one that would have directly benefited the Detroit Salt Company, which owns the Detroit Salt Mine and has been represented by GCSI since 2009. "Lee quickly took me in," Rebekah said, adding that her father's health began to decline and she became more involved with the Chatfield family. Since Aaron learned about his brothers years of assault on his wife in December, he has been supportive of his wife and is confident she is telling the truth, he alleged. And since he's term-limited and not running for another office, Wentworth doesn't even need to worry whether anything he says in the court of public opinion could be used against him. A former Australian Schoolboys and Queensland Under 18 representative player, Howarth is in his second season in the Melbourne Storm's top 30 squad. Detroit officials argued it would open the door for off-reservation gambling halls in the suburbs and diminish a vital source of tax revenue for the city, which has three casinos. M.L. That said, it is clear the attorney general's investigators believe they are peeling back the layers of an onion that will make anyone who cares about integrity and good government weep bitter tears. Last name. And he walked out., After Rebekah and Aaron were married, the affair allegedly continued while the two went off to separate colleges. Rebekah says the alleged abuse began with unwelcome touching and escalated to unwanted sex, which happened "more times than I can count." The City of Detroit is another GCSI client. Lee portrays himself as a family tradition, conservative guy who believes in the Bible and the Bible is so important, said Aaron, 26. Each time she would break up with Aaron, she said Lee would coax them back together. Rep. Terry Sabo, D-Muskegon, who supported the casino project near his district, said there was a "sense of urgency" among lobbyists working for the Little River Band to get something done by the end of 2020 because they felt Chatfield was in support and he was departing the Legislature by the end of that year. Updated, 6:40 p.m. Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield only had to pay half the fine he was originally slapped with after bringing a loaded, unregistered handgun to an airport last summer, The Detroit News reported. Electoral College. Thanks for contacting us. He assumed office on January 1, 2019. State Rep. Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, is the new Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. Catch up fast: The state investigation began in January after Chatfield's sister-in-law, Rebekah Chatfield . "Theres enough there," Thomas said. It's important to note that search warrant affidavits contain what investigators think they can prove if a judge authorizes a search warrant. [4] He was fined $250 for failure to register his handgun, which he had purchased in December 2015. Sales Representative. On Wednesday, Michigan state Speaker of the House Rep. Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) announced Rep. Cynthia Johnson (D-Detroit) had been stripped of her committee assignments after she shared a video in which she addressed 'Trumpers' to "be careful" and called on "soldiers" to "make them pay." Chatfield tweeted, 'Threats to Democrats or Republicans are unacceptable and un-American. Wentworth, through his spokesman, declined my invitation to explain why Anne Minard remains on the state payroll but is no longer serving as treasurer to his PACs and, based on the notation "no other vendor," appears to be persona non grata when it comes to his political funds. Which is too bad, because I have a lot of questions for him about one of his employees, who is at the heart of what could turn out to be one of the biggest scandals in Michigan political history. LANSING, Mich. State police in northern Michigan were investigating Thursday after a woman accused former state House Speaker Lee Chatfield of sexually assaulting her multiple times, beginning when she was 14 or 15 years old. The investigation began in January after Lee Chatfield's sister-in-law, Rebekah Chatfield, accused him of sexually abusing her beginning when she was 15 years old. The assaults allegedly began when she dated the politicians younger brother and continued until 2021, she told the outlet. She recalled one time where Lee allegedly visited with his wife and two children, And during my husbands soccer game, she said, he took me back to my house and assaulted me.. Paul Chatfield, another younger brother who also worked with Lee in politics, said he believes Lee engaged in inappropriate behavior with Rebekah but questions her timeline. This is about the integrity of the chamber," said Rep. Joe Tate, a Detroit Democrat. 2023 Representative Information. "GCSI reported it and so did Scofes.". Chatfield deeply regrets the decisions he has made. The Peninsula Fund, a non-profit run by Chatfield, is also registered at address of the Minards' consulting firm. Lee Chatfield, the then-Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, speaks during a campaign rally in Muskegon, Michigan, on October 17, 2020. Elected in 2019, Chatfield represents the 67th district, which includes Tucumcari, New Mexico, Ute Lake State Park, and Clayton Lake State Park. Owen did not return my messages seeking comment. The Levering Republican paid $1,960 to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after he brought the weapon to the Pellston Regional [] His attorney acknowledged he had a relationship with Rebekah while he was married but said she was mischaracterizing a consensual affair between adults. Plea deals typically only reveal a portion of what law enforcement has learned during an investigation. A Republican state representative in Michigan was rebuked by members of his own party on Monday hours after he made comments suggesting that he and others planned to . . According to Crain's Detroit Business, Chatfield confirmed he would be moving to Kalamazoo.The former representative from Levering, who was term-limited after six years in the state House, is no friend to the LGBTQ community. He was first elected to serve the 107th District in northern Michigan . He left office in 2020 due to term limits. She also described a sense of belonging within the school and church community with the Chatfield family at its center and a culture that valued hierarchy, male superiority and sexual purity. Rebekah told Bridge Michigan she felt she had no way out from the relationship. After the first alleged instance of unwanted sexual contact, Rebekah said, she didn't tell anyone about it because she was afraid of how the Chatfields would react. ", "Scofes and Associates were leadingthe lobbying team, and they retained GCSI," Shields said. A talented group of Queensland Under 19 players will this month step up preparations for the 2022 representative clash against New South Wales. Chatfield has said the relationship was consensual. Minard and her husband, Rob, have been in the news since January, when their roles as key aides to Chatfield emerged in the wake of accusations that Chatfield had sexually assaulted his sister-in-law. Newbury told Bridge Michigan her daughter, then 16, was "old enough to make her own decisions" and so Rebekah moved in with her father, who lived about an hour from the school and church compound in Burt Lake, Michigan. That's more than 10 times what they spent on Tom Leonard, who preceded Chatfield as speaker. Rebekah claimed she kept the incidents secret from her family and husband because she was ashamed and afraid to tell them. Price information. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan House of Representatives Speaker and Republican Lee Chatfield . Whitmer formally blocked the Muskegon County casino project in June after the City of Detroit lobbied hard against the proposal. LANSING State Rep. Jason Wentworth of Clare will be the new speaker of the House, Republican lawmakers announced Thursday. On one occasion two years ago, Rebekah said she and Aaron were visiting Lees officewhen he asked Aaron to go pick up a pizza. Right now, we have more questions than answers. Republican Lee Chatfield is under police investigation over claims of sexual assault. In January 2020, Daly was one of Chatfield's guests at Whitmer's 2020 State of the State address and sat on the House floor next to Rob Minard, the speaker's chief of staff, The News reported in October. 11 others named Samantha Chatfield are on LinkedIn See others . Chatfield received a bachelor's degree from Northland International University, a Baptist college in Wisconsin, and a master's degree from Liberty University in Virginia. Join to apply for the Sales Representative - Earn Over $100k role at SitePro Rentals. I couldn't see what would happen past then. As senior representatives of our school . Rebekah and Aaron were engaged in June 2014 and married two months later, according to Bridge. Governmental Consultant Services, Inc.'s logo in the window of the multi-client lobbying firm's downtown Lansing office. Email: jack.chatfield@nmlegis.gov Sponsored Legislation: 2023 Regular 2022 3rd Special 2022 Regular 2021 2nd Special 2021 Special 2021 Regular 2020 2nd Special 2020 1st Special 2020 Regular 2019 Regular In 2018, Chatfield attempted to bring a loaded, unregistered handgun onto a commercial flight at Pellston Regional Airport. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, accused former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, Ex-con sentenced to 37 to life in prison for brutal rape inside NYC sidewalk shed, Lawyer attacked by client who allegedly decapitated lover withdraws from case, Behind teen girls sky-high depression: Forced sex, social media, Woke LA DA suspends lead prosecutor of trans woman convicted of molesting 10-year-old girl. "And we will continue to advocate for our clients using the highest standards of professionalism which has been the basis for our reputation and continued growth and success.". Bills in the 2017-18 and 2019-20 sessions would have required the state to give a preference in bidding contracts to firms that mine products in Michigan. His father is pastor of the church, the school superintendent and a teacher. "[10], On January 6, 2022, The Detroit News reported Michigan State Police were investigating Chatfield over allegations that he sexually abused a girl for 12 years, beginning in 2009 when she was between 14 and 15 years old and continuing until 2021. "And it needs to stop.. Because of Michigan's lack of an open records policy covering lawmakers, the House wouldn't have to disclose Chatfield's letter. Aaron claimed to remember his older brother being handsy with his then-girlfriend when they were younger. . Todd McInturf / The Detroit News. The photos, tweeted by journalist . We are looking forward to building on our very successful 2022 campaign where our Opens and U14 A Team won there respective tournaments. The 2017-18 version of the bill passed the Senate but stalled in the House despite Chatfield's advocacy behind the scenes for its passage. All players must be registered at Netball North Harbour to be eligible for trials. LaPorte declined to comment for this article. On July 22, 2020, the Levering Republican sent a letter to the federal government asking for approval "as soon as possible," according to a copy of the letter obtained by The News. U14*- Born 2009, 2010 - Players must be at secondary school (Yr 9) to be eligible for selection.