In Michigan politics, pigs get fed, hogs get charged with public corruption

Chatfield’sattorneyclaimsthepaymentswerereimbursementsforpoliticalfundraisingexpensesandshiftsblametoaformeraideandlawfirm.Thecaseraisesconcernsaboutthelackoftransparencysurroundingnonprofitfundsusedbypoliticians.ProsecutorsallegeapatternoffinancialimproprietysimilartothatofformerDetroitMayorKwameKilpatrick.Youmayhaveheardthatawolfwillchewoffitslegtogetoutofatrap. Turnsoutapigwill,too. That’stheconclusionIreachedafterthreedaysoftestimonyandlegalargumentsoverhowCheatin’LeeChatfieldtreatedoneofthenonprofitfundsassociatedwithhimandthepeoplewhoworkedonthem. TheformerspeakeroftheMichiganHouseofRepresentatives,wholandedonfrontpagesmorethantwoyearsagowhenhissister-in-lawaccusedhimofsexualassault,usedthenonprofitPeninsulaFundtodoleoutthousandstofriendsandfamily,whowereinstructedtogivesomeofthatdoughbacktoChatfield.Thefund,createdtoinfluencepublicpolicyandimprovelivesforMichiganders,improvedChatfield’slif