Former Michigan House leader, wife plead not guilty to misusing political funds

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The former leader of the Michigan House and his wife have pleaded not guilty to financial charges arising from an investigation of how they spent money from unregulated political funds. Lee Chatfield and Stephanie Chatfield appeared in a Lansing-area court by video conference from Kentucky, where they plan to attend the Kentucky Derby. Chatfield, a Republican, was speaker of the House in 2019 and 2020. He is accused of tapping political funds for personal travel, housing and other benefits when he was in office. Investigators say the funds were created under federal law as tax-exempt social welfare organizations.