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A former Michigan state lawmaker has denied allegations he subjected a girl to repeated sexual assaults for a number of years courting again to the time she was a youngster.
Former Home speaker Lee Chatfield has admitted to figuring out the 27-year-old girl who accused him, however claimed Friday that the connection wasconsensual. The lady, who has not been publiclyidentified, stated Chatfield started assaulting her on the Gaylord Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church roughly 12 years in the past when she was simply 15-years-old, her lawyer advised the Lansing Metropolis Pulse.
Chatfield, who was elected home speaker throughout his last time period and left workplace on account of time period limits in December 2020, addressed the allegations on Friday, vehemently denying the claims and vowing to combat them. In an announcement by his lawyer, the lawmaker admitted to a sexual entanglement along with his accuser that “lasted for years,” however insisted that it had been an ongoing affair between two “consenting adults.”
“Mr. Chatfield is harmless of the false rape claims made towards him. He had affairs whereas he was married, together with a sexual relationship with the girl who's now claiming she was raped,” his lawyer, Mary Chartier wrote.
Chatfield’s lawyer steered that the Michigan Republican had deep regrets over the prolonged encounter which she stated “has induced nice ache to his spouse and household.”
“However he didn't assault this girl in any method throughout their years-long grownup relationship,” she wrote. “He intends to vigorously combat these false claims.”
The Michigan State Police have stated they'll examine the allegations towards Chatfield after the company was notified concerning the grievance by the Lansing Police Division final week.
Based on the accuser’s lawyer, Jamie White, who has represented sexual assault survivors abused by Larry Nassar, Chatfield was employed on the non secular northern Michigan college earlier than he was elected to the state legislature in 2014. His father, Rusty Chatfield, is an administrator on the college, in accordance with its web site.
Lee Chatfield was each a trainer on the college, in addition to the boys’s soccer coach and the athletic director, in accordance with a biography listed on the Michigan Home Republicans web site.
After leaving workplace, Chatfield served a short stint because the chief government of the Southwest Michigan First, an financial growth group, however he resigned over his report on LGBTQ points.
The accuser’s lawyer stated Chatfield’s alleged sexual abuse lasted up till July 2021.
“We're very assured that between Michigan State Police and our impartial investigation he’s going to be held accountable,” White advised the Detroit Information. “This younger girl is extraordinarily frightened of what’s coming ahead for her so far as how the ex-speaker goes to reply. We’re wrapping our arms round her to verify she has instruments to take care of this.”