LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Some Michigan legislators are demanding a review of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) after reports of fiscal mismanagement.

What’s in the report?

According to a report, MEDC executive committee member Fay Beydoun was awarded a $20 million grant to launch a business accelerator organization, but has spent significant portions of the grant that have given a number of state legislators concerns.

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State Representative Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) expressed his deep concern for the “irresponsible spending of Michigan taxpayer dollars.”

“While working families throughout Michigan are scraping to get by amid rising inflation, Beydoun is using this taxpayer-funded grant to award herself a handsome salary, purchase herself an $11,000 first-class airplane ticket, and buy her organization a $4,500 coffee maker, $40,000 worth of furniture, and more.”

What are some of the concerns?

Rep. Outman also shared his concern that Beydoun was a member of the MEDC, which is providing oversight for the grant.

“What’s worse is that she has been a sitting executive committee member of the MEDC – the very group responsible for providing oversight over her spending of grant dollars,” Rep. Outman said in a statement. “While I’m encouraged to learn her appointment ended on Friday, the people of Michigan need to be reassured that she is not serving on the committee past the expiration of her appointment, and that the governor does not intend to reappoint her.”

State Rep. Outman also urged the administration to consider the replacement of Beydoun “with someone who the public can trust.”

“The governor’s administration must do the work to properly vet the individuals who are appointed to the executive committee,” he said in a statement.

A closer look.

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The former member of the vice chair of the House Oversight Committee also demanded a closer look into the spent money, sooner than the MEDC said it would review the grant.

“The MEDC has stated it will not be reviewing her expenditures until the first $10 million is spent, but the state of Michigan cannot afford to wait until those dollars are potentially flushed down the toilet,” Rep. Outman said in a statement. “Transparency and oversight are the cornerstone of our system of government, and the people need to see more of that from this particular spending measure being carried out by Beydoun.”

State Representative Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township) raised the stakes by demanding a report from the MEDC about the “inappropriate uses of grant dollars” from the MEDC Chief Executive Quentin L. Messer Jr., and urging him to stop and immediately assess the grant project.

“Accountability and transparency in state government and its departments are pivotal in maintaining the public’s trust,” Rep. DeBoyer said in a letter to Messer. “When people see questionable practices or outright failures in these areas on our end, they fail to respect our institutions and their elected leaders in greater numbers.”

Rep. DeBoyer also opposed the condition of the grant stating that the expenses wouldn’t be reviewed or audited until the first $10 million was spent.

“Taxpayers across our state who helped foot the bill for this apparent boondoggle shouldn’t have to wait until $10 million is gone for this to be reviewed,” he said in a statement. “That accountability should be delivered now. If it isn’t, frivolous spending will remain unchecked, corruption could go unchallenged and damage to our state’s less-than-sterling reputation for government integrity will only get worse.”