House paused investigation into Chatfield claims at AG's request
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Outgoing Michigan House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Clare, said during a media roundtable Thursday that House Republicans were on the cusp of hiring a third-party investigator to launch an internal investigation over criminal sexual assault allegations made against former House Speaker Lee Chatfield but were asked not to by Attorney General Dana Nessel's office.
Chatfield, who left office in 2020, is accused of sexually assaulting his sister-in-law, dating back more than a decade to when she was approximately 15. Chatfield, R-Levering, has denied the claims and characterized their interaction as a consensual affair through an attorney.
The claims made against Chatfield extend to his time in the House. He is also accused of financial misconduct in his role as Speaker of the House.
Amber McCann, a spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office, said Nessel's team had asked the House to delay its internal investigation until the criminal investigation was completed to avoid any "unintended impact."
McCann declined to give an update on the status of the criminal investigation into Chatfield.
Nessel's office confirmed in January that it had joined the investigation, but has not indicated when it began assisting the Michigan State Police. The Michigan State Police handed off the investigation to Nessel's office in September, Bridge Michigan reported.
Wentworth also noted all House members and staff were ordered in January to retain records and documents that may be relevant to the criminal investigation.
"You don't want people tripping over each other investigating, especially criminal cases. And these are very serious criminal allegations," Wentworth said.
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"I was not going to get in the middle of a law enforcement investigation. We cooperated fully in both cases, we continue to cooperate fully in both cases," Wentworth added, also referencing allegations made against state Rep. Daire Rendon, R-Lake City, over possibly tampering with election equipment. Rendon is one of several individuals currently under investigation by a special prosecutor for their involvement in the scheme. No charges have been filed yet in that case.
Wentworth will leave the House at the end of the year due to Michigan's current laws on term limits. He criticized House Democrats for "politicizing" the allegations made against Chatfield. Democrats are set to have majorities in both the House and Senate next year, flipping control of the Michigan Legislature for the first time in decades during the midterm elections.
House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Township, said during an appearance on WKAR's "Off the Record" in October that a House investigation into the allegations against Chatfield would be launched if Democrats took control of the chamber. Like Wentworth, Lasinksi is term-limited and won't be returning to the House in 2023.
"I think what the House Democrats are doing, it's pretty sad," Wentworth said. "I think there are real victims here. To play politics in a situation like this where there's a fact of criminal investigation, I think they can throw shade on that investigation and potential future litigation from the former Speaker on to the House. So I'm going to fully cooperate. I'm going to continue to do what we've done all along, to make sure that victims get justice, any potential victims, and make sure whoever's responsible is brought to justice."
An attorney for the woman who has accused Chatfield of sexual assault previously told the Free Press that Chatfield had met and begun grooming her when she was 15 and Chatfield was a teacher and coach at a private religious school in northern Michigan. The legal age of consent in Michigan is 16, but it goes up to 18 when the other person involved is an authority figure, such as a teacher.
Chatfield, through a lawyer, has denied any criminal wrongdoing.
Free Press staff writer Dave Boucher contributed to this report.
Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @arpanlobo.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Wentworth: House was ready to investigate allegations against Chatfield
