Maybe Lee Chatfield Should Have Just Flown To Florida On A Private Jet With His "Non Profit" Like Gretchen Whitmer

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)

Former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield was charged by Attorney General Dana Nessel for campaign finance related crimes last week---front and center in her press conference was the fact Chatfield apparently used money from his 501c3 non-profit to go to Harry Potter World at Disney in Florida with his family in 2020.

OK---fair enough---so why in the f-ck wasn't Governor Gretchen Whitmer charged for using her 501c3 to FLY TO FLORIDA FOR A VACATION ON A PRIVATE JET in 2021?!  

A "non-profit" that was set up specifically for her INAUGURATION! 

Perhaps Chatfield's biggest mistake was flying commercial...

Or not jet setting with millionaires and billionaires like Big Gretch did on her trip!

What a clown world our state has become---just like a 3rd world country, where the regime r@pes and loots the state while prosecuting their political enemies.

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com

🚨BREAKING: WMP Exclusive: Sollars And Shady Texted About Judge Shackelford's Sketchy Real Estate Deal🚨

By Brandon Hall
(Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)

Breaking today---a West Michigan Politics exclusive---WMP has confirmed the existence of a blockbuster text message exchange between former Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars, and real estate mogul Shady Awad discussing the 2018 purchase of 23rd District Court Chief Judge Victoria Shackelford's house.

The texts, which will be released in full soon after Sollars is sentenced in a major federal public corruption case, are a stunning development in the real estate scandal involving Shackelford, Sollars, and Shady that was broken by West Michigan Politics last week.

Shackelford denies being under FBI investigation over the controversy.

Shady is the government's star witness in the Sollars case...

In the messages, Sollars tells Shady he needs a home for his friend, and Shady responds with Shackelford's current address---a home Shackelford, then an Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor, would purchase just WEEKS later for tens of thousands of dollars under market price.

Shackelford needed to live in Taylor to be appointed Judge by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

This is a developing story...

Stay tuned to West Michigan Politics for the latest updates!

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com

Breaking: Judge Shackelford Responds To Real Estate Scandal Involving Her And Former Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars

 

The Hon. Judge Victoria Shackelford

 By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)

In a scathing statement to West Michigan Politics over a recent article about the scandal involving her controversial real estate deals, 23rd District Court Judge Victoria Shackelford produced a letter from the Assistant US Attorneys in Michigan's Eastern District, and she had strong words for Shady Awad, the government's star witness in the Rick Sollars public corruption case, alleging he "perjured himself." Shackelford did not provide any evidence substantiating her perjury claims against Shady.

Rick Sollars is the former Mayor of Taylor now being sentenced in a major federal corruption case. 

Shackelford, the Chief Judge of the 23rd District Court in Taylor, also seemingly threatened West Michigan Politics with legal action.

"You have my no target letter that was provided by the DOJ after the witness perjured himself," Shackelford said in an emailed statement . "The letter clearly states I am not and never was a target in this investigation. I am not under investigation, as the letter clearly states, and your article is false. The article needs to be corrected. The letter was signed by both AUSAs on this case after I met with them."

Shackelford then indicated she will be suing West Michigan Politics.

"You have harmed my career and reputation with this false article," Shackelford said. "It needs to be corrected forthwith. My attorney will be in contact with you. I will be pursuing all legal avenues available to me to protect my reputation and career."

Blockbuster court documents from the testimony of Shady Awad, the government's star witness in the Sollars case published exclusively by West Michigan Politics last week, show Judge Victoria Shackelford, who was appointed  to the bench by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2021, bought a $180,000 house for just $130,000 in 2018---then demanded $15,000 in free home improvements. 

Judge Shackelford apparently even wrote a check for a lot adjacent to the property, but had the check returned back to her---uncashed.

Shackelford needed to live in the City of Taylor in order to get the Judicial appointment from Governor Whitmer ahead of the retirement of 23rd District Court Judge Geno Salamone.

And breaking today---a West Michigan Politics exclusive---we have confirmed the existence of a text message exchange between Sollars and Shady discussing Shackelford's home.

Shackelford sent WMP a letter dated April 12th from the Assistant US Attorneys in the Eastern District, Frances Lee Carlson, and Robert Moran.

"Dear Judge Shackelford:

Please be advised that you are not presently, nor have you previously been, the target of an investigation conducted in this district relating to, in general terms, public officials in the City of Taylor corruptly receiving benefits from Shady Awad and others."

One West Michigan Politics reader says that the letter is basically meaningless.

"The letter for Shackelford is nothing. It merely states that she was not the target of investigation previously, or the target currently," Roger Vanderpool wrote.

 

"In 2018, she was not a Judge yet, so yes, she was not a target as a public official when she got an amazingly awesome "friend of Sollars" house deal. Then as to presently/currently part, yes, she is now a Judge and a public official, but she is not currently getting a benefit from Shady Awad because she already got the sweet deal back BEFORE she was a government official. 

The testimony is clear. Shady Awad had a house worth $180k, he was forced to sell it to her for $130K. This is all true as shown by the deeds that are public record, and real estate valuations from several places all showing that the value of the home was not $130k." 

Property records indeed show Shackelford bought the house, now worth ~$200,000+, for just $129,900 in the spring of 2018. Multiple valuations show the house's actual value was worth closer to ~$180,000. It was originally listed for $150k just weeks before the sale...

After extensive rumination, though it is *technically* public information and very much news worthy, West Michigan Politics won't identify the address of Judge Shackelford's home because of (obvious) safety precautions, as the Judge is married with 3 children. I don't want some nut easily able to find her address through this or any other article.

A photo for some context is fair game, though---this is the home in question: 

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com

Kunse Voted For Killing Research Animals, Immunity For Big Pharma, And Multiple Tax & Fee Increases

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)

From voting against adoption opportunities for animals subjected to "scientific research" before killing them, voting against ending immunity for Big Pharma, voting against more options for cancer patients, and voting for multiple increases on taxes and fees, controversial State Rep. Tom Kunse has an extremely troubling voting record.

Kunse’s Questionable Votes:

Voted to decrease the penalty for not timely reporting a death:

2023 House Bill 4011 Labor: health and safety; penalty for failure to report a death; decrease by the maximum allowable amount if the death occurs to a certain individual on a family farm.

• Voted in favor

• Passed 93 to 13 on Feb. 29, 2024

• 
  

Voted against requiring animal testing centers to try adoption before killing:

2023 Senate Bill 149 / Public Act 315 Animals: research facilities; certain research facilities to offer certain laboratory animals for adoption before euthanization; require.

• Voted against

• Passed 67 to 39 on Nov. 9, 2023

Voted against reporting requirements and penalties for animal testing centers:

2023 Senate Bill 148 / Public Act 314 Animals: research facilities; reporting requirements and penalties for noncompliance; provide for.

• Voted against

• Passed 63 to 43 on Nov. 9, 2023

Voted to allow implementation of a hotel tax:

2023 House Bill 5048 Taxation: hotel-motel; local units to levy a hotel tax; allow and increase rate allowed to be levied by counties.

• Voted in favor

• Passed 66 to 44 on Oct. 31, 2023

• Voted in favor

• Amendment concurred in 68 to 38 on Nov. 9, 2023

Voted against ending big pharma’s immunity from liability:

2023 Senate Bill 410 / Public Act 285 Torts: product liability; limitation on liability for drugs that have been approved by federal Food and Drug Administration; rescind.

• Voted against

• Passed 79 to 30 on Nov. 8, 2023

Voted against strengthening domestic violence laws:

2023 Senate Bill 528 / Public Act 199 Crimes: other; penalties for certain offenses committed when victim and offender have a domestic relationship; provide for.

• Voted against

• Passed 58 to 52 on Nov. 1, 2023

• 
  
• 
  

Voted to increase court transcript fees:

2023 House Bill 5046 Civil procedure: costs and fees; fees for transcripts; increase.

• Voted in favor

• Passed 104 to 6 on Nov. 1, 2023

Sided with HOAs over property rights:

2023 House Bill 5028 Housing: other; energy-saving home improvements; invalidate prohibition of by homeowners' association.

• Voted against

• Passed 56 to 54 on Nov. 1, 2023

Supports corporate welfare and crony capitalism:

2023 House Bill 5100 Corporate income tax: credits; research and development credit for certain large employers; provide for.

• Voted in favor

• Passed 79 to 31 on Oct. 31, 2023

2023 House Bill 5099 Economic development: Michigan strategic fund; research and development tax credit program; create and administer.

• Voted in favor

• Passed 77 to 33 on Oct. 31, 2023

• Voted in favor

• Passed 72 to 38 on Oct. 31, 2023

Voted against setting water quality standards in daycares:

2023 House Bill 4341 / Public Act 154 Water supply: quality and standards; clean drinking water in schools and child care centers; provide for.

• Voted against

• Passed 76 to 34 on Sept. 20, 2023

• Voted against

• Substitute S-2 concurred in 74 to 36 on Oct. 12, 2023

Voted against more options for cancer patients:

2023 House Bill 4071 / Public Act 170 Insurance: health insurers; coverage for orally administered anticancer chemotherapy; provide equal treatment for.

• Voted against

• Passed 70 to 37 on May 24, 2023

• Voted against

• Substitute S-1 concurred in 72 to 38 on Oct. 12, 2023

Voted to continue ORV license fee:

2023 House Bill 4515 Vehicles: off-road; license fee; eliminate sunset.

• Voted in favor

• Passed 79 to 30 on June 14, 2023

Kunse, whose district includes Osceola and Mecosta Counties, as well as parts of Clare County and Lake County, he is up for re-election in August. 

The filing deadline is April 23rd...

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State Rep. Tom Kunse's Connections to David Coker And Anthony Demasi Raise Red Flags Amid Shady $3.5 Million Real Estate Deal

Unanswered Questions Still Remain About State Rep. Tom Kunse And The Clare Health Park Land Sale Scandal

#NeverTrump Michigan State Rep. Tom Kunse Says He Doesn't Care If Betraying President Trump Costs Himself Re-Election

Crashes, Lawsuits, Repeated Failed Inspections, And "Toxic, Trash" Ownership: Inside State Rep. Tom Kunse's Controversial Former Company, Northern Dry Bulk

Did State Rep. Tom Kunse Really Attempt To Steal Land From The People Of Isabella County?

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com