MECOSTA COUNTY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – In the saga of Gotion Inc. versus Green Charter Township, the recent uncovered text messages between Gotion’s VP of North American Operations, Chuck Thelen, and former Township Supervisor James Chapman often read more like a chat between old pals than professional negotiations over a $2.3 billion dollar EV battery plant.

Court documents from the discovery process in a lawsuit against the township by Gotion Inc. to enforce a development agreement reveal a troubling and cozy relationship between Thelen and Chapman, with the men exchanging messages well into the night and on the weekends, meeting for lunch, and even frequenting a local bar together. It’s a far cry from the transparent, above-board relationship you’d expect from a public official.

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The text messages uncovered suggest a potential conflict of interest according to the township, something their attorneys have seized upon as they argue to invalidate the development agreement with Gotion.

From an offer to a golf outing to an undisclosed political donation, Thelen and Chapman’s relationship has raised eyebrows and led to questions of possible violations of ethical standards according to a newly filed “motion for leave to file first amended answer and counterclaim” court document by Green Charter Township. Thelen, who publicly frames himself as a champion of the township’s future, privately shows nothing but disdain for many of the very residents he’s supposed to be benefiting, casually tossing around insults and dismissing their concerns.

Thelen’s contempt for Green Charter Township residents exposed.

One of the most startling revelations from the court filings is Thelen’s blatant disdain for Green Charter Township residents who oppose Gotion, as seen in his texts to Chapman. These messages unearthed during the discovery process contain 90 days of texts between March and September 2023, many days featuring multiple texts per day, many dripping with contempt for people in the community.

While portraying himself as a defender of the township’s best interests in public, privately, Thelen appears to have nothing but scorn for those who disagree with the development project. In a particularly low blow, Thelen refers to local activist Lori Brock as a “skank” in a September 4, 2023 text message to Chapman. “Smart man to bail on that skank,” Thelen texted, referring to Brock’s ex-husband, whose tire shop Thelen visited.

Brock, who owns a horse farm near the proposed Gotion plant, has been vocal in her opposition to the project, organizing protests and raising awareness about the environmental risks the Gotion plant poses. Thelen’s response? To dig into her personal life, even going so far as to sift through her divorce documents in a bizarre attempt that appears to be a move to gain leverage.

Did Thelen submit a records request to get the information or was it turned over to him by someone in the county? Michigan News Source reached out to Chapman and Gotion’s spokesperson to ask but neither returned an answer to that question.

Chapman had texted to Thelen “Tell me you’ve arranged for karma to bite her (Brock).” Thelen responded with the text above.

Knuckleheads and a**holes: Thelen’s name-calling tour.

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Thelen’s derogatory comments didn’t stop with Brock. In text messages to Chapman, Thelen refers to Gotion’s opponents as “knuckleheads,” “militants,” “fearmongers,” “idiots” and “ignorant racist’s [sic].” After receiving Thelen’s comment about the “racists,” Chapman, clearly in sync with Thelen’s views, responded by saying, “That’s being polite.”

On June 11, 2023, Thelen called Big Rapids Charter Township Supervisor Carman Bean an “a**hole” and said he was trying to strong-arm his attorneys into giving up sensitive information. Thelen added in his text to Chapman, “I will see what I can do the [sic] completely discredit this idiot.”

The text trail also reveals that Thelen had a particularly colorful term for anyone who dared oppose the Gotion project. In an August 1, 2023 message, Thelen wrote to Chapman about the supervisor having to deal with “80 a**holes yelling at u to boot” likely referring to a public meeting.

Not even Mecosta County animal rescuer Cate Arroe escaped Thelen’s wrath. Referring to her work with stray animals with the Mecosta County Animal Rescue Coalition, Thelen flippantly remarked after discussing the Gotion site plan with Chapman, “I expect when the crazy cat lady sees it she will beg us to buy her out.”

Chapman didn’t hold back on the insults either, labeling Gotion’s opponents as “xenophobs [sic]” and Muskegon River Watershed Assembly Executive Director Scott Faulkner a “smooth talking snake.”

Friends until the end: Chapman and Thelen’s tight-knit bond.

The relationship between Thelen and Chapman went beyond business as the text messages show. Thelen referred to Chapman as his “hero,” texting him on September 12, 2023, to arrange a meeting at a local bar. This wasn’t the only time the two got together for some bonding time outside of official capacities, as they would meet up for lunch or a drink.

In one of the more telling exchanges, Thelen expressed some hesitation about being seen in public with Chapman, as the optics of their relationship might raise eyebrows. “do u think we should not be seen in public?” Thelen texted on September 10, 2023, perhaps realizing that a too-public friendship might not play well in the court of public opinion.

On September 18th, Thelen said to Chapman, “U have Been a great partner and becoming an even better friend. I will help you however I can.”

Thelen and Chapman’s shared ownership over the project is also obvious throughout the text chain. They often used the word “we” when discussing Gotion’s progress, such as when Chapman texted Thelen to say, ”We are winning”or when Thelen told Chapan, “I think we may pull this off.”

It’s as if Thelen and Chapman viewed themselves as a dynamic duo, partners in a great and noble venture, united against the “idiots” and “a**holes” who dared to question their vision for the township.

Golf, burgers and a side of conflict of interest?

If the uncovered ethical boundaries weren’t already blurred enough, Thelen and Chapman’s texts also reveal undisclosed perks and benefits, which have now become a focal point in the township’s legal challenge against Gotion, which we disclosed in a previous report. Court documents show that Thelen and his wife donated $1,000 to Chapman’s recall campaign, a detail that Chapman conveniently failed to disclose to the township board. Chapman also received an invitation to a golf outing from Thelen (which he declined) and a offer of a paid trip to China (which he declined).

The bottom line: two men, one agenda.

Thelen and Chapman’s text messages reveal a relationship that goes well beyond professional, veering into the territory of personal alliances, undisclosed perks, and blatant contempt for the very people they’re supposed to serve. Although Chapman and Thelen might have believed their communications wouldn’t be made public, Gotion’s own lawsuit has exposed their cozy and perceived unethical relationship.

Michigan News Source reached out to both John Whetstone, the Director of Public Affairs for Gotion Inc. and to James Chapman to ask if they had any comment on the relationship between Chapman and Thelen and if either man had any comments or apologies to make regarding the now-exposed text message between Thelen and Chapman.

Gotion did not respond but Chapman emailed Michigan News Source back around midnight to say, “Would you like to comment on masquerading as a journalist while serving as a propagandist?”