LANSING — An East Lansing attorney who asked for a criminal investigation of Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette and the Ingham County prosecutor who referred his complaint to the FBI are co-hosting a fund-raiser next weekend for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer, records show.
Backers of Schuette, who is also running for governor, point to the involvement in the Whitmer campaign of attorney Mike Nichols and Prosecutor Carol Siemon as evidence Nichols' complaint and Siemon's referral of his complaint to the FBI were both politically suspect, and the allegations against Schuette are without merit.
Nichols and Siemon are among 77 co-hosts listed on an invitation to a Whitmer fund-raiser set for July 22 at an East Lansing residence.
"I just think there's questionable politics here," Stu Sandler, a political consultant and spokesman for a pro-Schuette Super PAC, said Monday. "This is a meritless complaint and this referral is going to show absolutely nothing."
Nichols wrote Siemon on June 28, requesting a state grand jury or other criminal investigation of allegations Schuette improperly used state resources.
On July 2, Siemon referred Nichols' letter to the FBI, saying the federal agency was "the most appropriate investigative body for this matter."
The FBI has declined to comment and has not confirmed that it has opened an investigation.
But on July 9, Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican who is supporting Lt. Gov. Brian Calley for governor, said Siemon's referral of Nichols' complaint to the FBI was "clearly a serious matter," and “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.”
Sandler said the involvement of Nichols and Siemon in the Whitmer fund-raiser shows "at the very least, there's a question of politics" in the series of events.
In his letter to Siemon, a Democrat, Nichols cited Schuette’s use of state employees to witness personal real estate transactions in his state-funded office and his hiring of Republican campaign operatives to taxpayer-funded civil service posts in the run-up to his current campaign for governor.
Nichols said he was in a trial Monday morning and not available for comment.
Siemon, through a spokesman, had no immediate comment.
The Whitmer campaign did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4.
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