Attorney General Bill Schuette, who could be weeks away from winning the Republican nomination for Governor in Michigan, says he's a victim of last-minute political attacks because he has a big lead in the polls.
Republicans and Democrats have both criticized Schuette in recent weeks for using state employees to do basic tasks related to his private land transactions in the Virgin Islands. Schuette inherited the land from his family and was disposing of the property when these land transactions happened. Schuette's employees have admitted to watching documents get notarized and performing the notary service on the documents, which we are told, took no more than a couple of minutes.
Schuette and many in his campaign have said that the work that was done was extremely limited in scope and wasn't significant enough to cause concern.
Other Republicans, like Schuette's counterpart in the primary Michigan Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley, say Schuette should be criminally charged for misusing state resources.
"Using office staff and office time to complete those transactions, that is flat-out illegal," Calley said. "If anybody else had done that he would have opened an investigation and he would have filed charges, no question."
Schuette says this is all part of an orchestrated political attack against him because several polls over about a year's time show him up double digits in the Republican primary.
"The latest smear campaign is coming from those who are desperately behind. From Democrats who know I am the path to victory for the Republicans, to my Republican opponents who are desperately behind," Schuette said.
The complaint was filed by attorney Mike Nichols to the Ingham County Prosecutor's office. The Detroit Free Press reported that Ingham County prosecutor Carol Siemon had referred Nichols’ concerns about possible criminal wrongdoing by Schuette to the FBI.
Nichols represented former West Michigan lawmaker Cindy Gamrat who was expelled from the Michigan Legislature. She also faced misconduct in office charges brought to court by Schuette. The charges against her were later dismissed. Nichols told the Free Press Schuette is attempting to hold Gamrat to higher standards than those he observes.
The FBI hasn't commented whether investigators will take a look at it.
Gov. Rick Snyder pushed the case forward last week calling it a “serious matter” that a county prosecutor has forwarded to the FBI a request for a criminal investigation.
“This is clearly a serious matter if the local prosecutor felt it should be referred to the FBI for investigation,” Snyder said in a statement obtained by the Free Press released by his communications director, Ari Adler. “It’s important that the FBI be allowed to do a thorough investigation without any undue influence and let the facts take them wherever they lead.”
Gov. Snyder has endorsed Calley, Schuette's opponent.
Schuette says Siemon and Nichols support the Democratic party.
"This was instigated by a Democrat fundraiser, a crony of Senator [Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Gretchen] Whitmer's, raising money [for Whitmer], and it's all politics," Schuette said. "And you know what it does? It causes people to feel cynical about the process."
The primary election in Michigan is Aug. 7.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WZZM 13 app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.