MICHIGAN SENATE MINORITY LEADER ARIC NESBITT ASKS DOJ TO INVESTIGATE GOVERNOR WHITMER'S CONNECTIONS TO FAY BEYDOUN

LANSING, MI — Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration improperly approved a $20 million taxpayer-funded grant connected to Fay Beydoun, a Whitmer appointee and campaign donor who now faces 16 felony charges tied to the alleged misuse of the money. Court records reportedly show Beydoun pushed for the grant directly through Whitmer’s administration, raising questions about how the grant was approved, who signed off on it, and whether proper oversight procedures were followed.

The investigation request comes after prosecutors accused Fay Beydoun of misusing funds connected to a state grant program that was supposed to support business and economic development efforts. Nesbitt is now calling for federal investigators to determine whether the governor’s office played any role in the approval process or failed to properly vet the grant before taxpayer money was distributed.

The key questions now being raised include:

• How did Beydoun receive a $20 million grant?
• Why wasn’t the grant properly vetted?
• Did Governor Whitmer know about the alleged misuse of funds?
• What was the approval process inside the administration?
• Who else may have been involved?

Questions are also being raised about broader spending and oversight issues inside state government:

• Fay Beydoun alleged embezzlement: $20 million
• Nkechy Ezeh alleged embezzlement: $1.4 million
• SOAR program: $1 billion tied to 1,846 jobs
• Child care subsidies reportedly unaccounted for: $19.5 million
• DTE Energy approved rate increases: $585.6 million
• Consumers Energy approved rate hikes: $154 million

At the center of the latest controversy is whether political connections influenced how taxpayer money was awarded and whether safeguards meant to protect public funds were ignored. Nesbitt says the public deserves answers about the approval process, possible conflicts of interest, and who else may have been involved.

Do you believe the DOJ should investigate how the $20 million grant was approved?