LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)– Michigan Lawyer Basic Dana Nessel will announce expenses in opposition to David Coker Jr., former legislative aide of former Michigan Home Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-District 97), for a number of felony expenses.
Coker, 52, faces seven felony expenses, together with working a legal enterprise, embezzlement, false pretenses, and violating the regulation requiring the state to maintain public cash secure.
Michigan reviews that the fees stem from allegations Coker used state cash for a brand new well being and health heart in Clare, to purchase gold cash, gold bars, silver, platinum, automobiles, and firearm equipment.
Lawyer Basic Dana Nessel to announce expenses in opposition to David Coker, 52, on seven felony expenses.
“The state alleges that Coker, after receiving the first $9.9 million allocation of the $25 million grant, “instantly” wired more than $820,000 from the Complete Health Park nonprofit he had created during the state budget process to his consulting firm, IW Consulting,” in accordance with Nessel.
The state additionally alleges he transferred ‘a whole lot of hundreds’ of {dollars} into his private financial institution accounts.
“Coker failed to disclose that he ran IW Consulting and submitted invoices, knowing he did not and could not have performed $820,000 of consulting work so quickly, according to the complaint,” in accordance with Nessel.
Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) praises Nessel for addressing urgent expenses in opposition to Coker.
I applaud Lawyer Basic Nessel for addressing this gross misuse of taxpayer {dollars} by former Republican Home management. That is one other instance of the rampant corruption that plagued latest Republican majorities within the Michigan Legislature. Senate Democrats have completed issues in a different way since 2023. We constructed budgets to assist working individuals and introduced transparency to the method — together with the best way we fund group tasks. Due to the modifications we made, each legislative enhancement grant requires a legislative sponsor to take possession of the mission or program. State departments then should publish that data on-line, permitting residents to see how legislators are advocating for using their tax {dollars}. If the Republican majority had these measures in place again in 2022, corrupt backroom offers like this one might have been dropped at mild earlier.
I’m pleased with the steps our caucus has taken to create a extra moral, accountable funds course of. Our budgets make investments instantly in our communities, repair ageing infrastructure, and guarantee individuals have what they should thrive. These transparency measures are essential and efficient, and this investigation serves as one other vital reminder of the necessity to shine extra mild into the halls of energy.
We should handle these funds responsibly and take decisive motion within the occasion of any misuse. I am grateful the Speaker realized this lesson throughout his time prior to now Republican majority caucus as a result of it takes buy-in from the Home, Senate, and Governor to construct transparency and accountability measures that work. In actual fact, I encourage the Speaker to observe the lead of the Senate Democrats and cross the commonsense FOIA reforms we handed again in January.
Sen. Sarah Anthony.
Coker was arraigned in Clare and was transported to the Ingham County Jail. He might withstand 20 years behind bars.
Nessel will announce these expenses this morning at 11.
