LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Republican state representatives hinted at taking punitive action against Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel at a legislative oversight hearing earlier this week, but nothing appears to be in the works at the moment.
The House Oversight Committee held hearings this week that involved allegations that Nessel acted unethically when she intervened on behalf of political allies/friends in two cases.
A tale of two cases.
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In one case, Nessel was accused of intervening on behalf of Traci Kornak, a Grand Rapids-based attorney who was accused of taking financial advantage of a brain damaged elderly woman in which she was a court-appointed conservator. At the hearing, emails were disclosed that showed Nessel contacted her own staffers and said Kornak had contacted her regarding her case, and the AG’s investigation of Kornak was holding up a potential judicial appointment for Kornak in Kent County.
Another case involved a non-profit group Bipartisan Solutions that was accused of violating campaign finance laws when it raised money for a ballot initiative co-chaired by Alanna Maguire, Nessel’s spouse. An email from one of Nessel’s staff employees stated that Nessel reached out to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and asked her office to reconsider a criminal referral to the AG on Bipartisan Solutions. The email stated that Benson had agreed to do that.
Nessel’s “impeachable conduct.”
State Rep. Josh Shriver, (R-Oxford) said at the oversight hearing that Nessel’s conduct regarding the Bipartisan Solutions case rose to “impeachable conduct.”
However, State Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township) wouldn’t commit to taking action against Nessel yet.
“I would say anything is on the table,” DeBoyer said in a message to Michigan News Source. “However, we have subpoenaed additional documents and that can change the position.”
Nessel didn’t attend the legislative meeting and didn’t respond to emails seeking comment. The House Oversight Committee voted 10-6 to find Nessel in contempt for not cooperating with its investigation.
