Follow the money

Last summer, I called on federal law enforcement to investigate the growing scandal at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation involving a $20 million taxpayer grant that ended up in the hands of one of Gov. Whitmer’s close allies and political donors. Now, the case has taken a serious turn. Earlier this month, the attorney general’s office filed 16 criminal charges against Fay Beydoun, a former Whitmer MEDC appointee and political fundraiser, for how she spent that $20 million. The charges include larceny by conversion, uttering and publishing, and conducting a criminal enterprise — a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

This is exactly why I have once again called on the U.S. Department of Justice to step in and investigate the governor’s role in this scheme. Michigan faces a unique crisis of oversight. The attorney general and the governor are well-documented personal friends. That relationship creates an inherent conflict of interest and calls into serious question whether the state can impartially investigate one of its own. When the foxes are guarding the henhouse, taxpayers deserve a higher authority to step in and follow the money.

Michigan families work too hard for their money to see it shoveled out the door to politically connected insiders. Whether it is a $20 million grant routed to a Whitmer ally, sweetheart lease deals for campaign donors, or corporate handouts to multinational corporations with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, the pattern is the same. The system in Lansing has been rigged to serve the governor’s friends at the expense of hardworking taxpayers, and it has to end.

The era of Lansing swamp insiders protecting their own at the expense of honest, hardworking families must come to an end. It does not matter how powerful you are, who your friends are, or what title is on your office door. If you steal from Michigan taxpayers, you must face the consequences. Period. I will continue to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and fight to deliver real accountability and real justice for the people of Michigan.

Should you have any questions or concerns about the legislature or state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office by going to www.SenatorAricNesbitt.com. You may also reach out by calling (517) 373-0793 or by email at SenANesbitt@senate.Michigan.gov. My staff would be happy to assist with issues you may be having with state government agencies, and I look forward to listening and learning about your priorities and concerns for our state.