MichMash: Will Chatfield embezzlement charges push legislature to act on financial disclosures?
Cheyna Roth and Zach Gorchow sat down with State Sen. Winnie Brinks to see what the legislature plans to do to provide transparency of financial elements.
Former State House Speaker Lee Chatfield on Jan. 30, 2020.
Former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield is charged with 13 counts of embezzlement, conspiracy and larceny as the state looks at financial transparency for our lawmakers and state leaders. MichMash host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow sat down with State Sen. Winnie Brinks to see what the legislature plans to do to provide transparency of financial elements.
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In this episode:
- Lee Chatfield faces charges of embezzlement
- Does Lansing need to take a look at their transparency standards for lawmakers?
- Legalizing contractual surrogacy.
Brinks said she was surprised how quickly former speaker Chatfield was able to do so much of the alleged damage that he caused.
“It’s pretty incredible to read through the announcement. Clearly, the wrongdoings seem evident from my perspective. We will learn a lot from this, we will take a look at what can be done so that there is a smaller chance that those things can be done.”
Chatfield has been charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, embezzlement, and violating the state Charitable Trust Act. The charges, ranging in maximum punishments from five to 20 years in prison, draw into question the lack transparency of the names and amounts of donations to nonprofit organizations connected to lawmakers.
Brinks said transparency in government is key to ensuring elected officials are motivated by the best interests for their constituents.
“We want to close the opportunity for bad actors that don’t have anything to do with the work that we are sent here to do and we want to make sure that we put those things in place so that people can trust that their legislatures are working in their best interests,” she said.
More from WDET:
- Former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield facing over a dozen felony charges
- Whitmer repeals ban on surrogacy contracts in Michigan
- MichMash: State Sen. Jeremy Moss seeking more transparency in Michigan government
More from Gongwer News Service:
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