State representative wants fellow lawmaker investigated

(The Center Square) – A Republican state representative wants the Michigan’s attorney general to investigate a Democratic colleague over media reports she erroneously received COVID-19 relief money that was eventually returned.

Rep. Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, wrote to Attorney General Dana Nessel requesting she investigate Rep. Kristian Grant, D-Grand Rapids. DeBoyer said Grant misled Kent County officials about a previous tax filing.

The Detroit News recently reported Grant claimed to have filed amended 2019 tax returns in 2023 for COVID-19 small business assistance discrepancies but failed to do so.

According to DeBoyer, Grant returned the $5,000 after the Detroit News report.

“Some people think that’s good enough, but it isn’t,” DeBoyer said. “Public officials should be held to a higher standard, and instances where they are able to abuse public assistance for personal gain need to be thoroughly investigated and fixed. No one should get a ‘get out of jail free’ card simply for being an elected official.”

DeBoyer says several questions still need to be answered, including if fraudulent documents were delivered to the IRS and how the money could have been delivered to Grant and discovered years later.

DeBoyer wrote in his letter to Nessel taht Grant, her her role, “represents tens of thousands of taxpayers whose hard-earned money helped fund these vital programs and other recovery fund applicants and recipients who did things the right way. Those are good, honest people who are watching a sitting representative get away with something that would put them in prison for years. They deserve justice. We have a responsibility to ensure government programs are working as intended for people who need them, while deterring bad actors from abusing the system – no matter who they are.”

He also challenged Nessel to make good on a promise to pursue people who took advantage of government aid programs.

“It’s important the attorney general is held to her word and investigates another concerning situation involving PPP dollars,” DeBoyer said. “We can’t push pause on delivering accountability because of political affiliation. The circumstances surrounding Rep. Grant’s applications, her tax filings, and the funding she was awarded still don’t add up. They must be looked into immediately.”