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State lawmaker faces questions about campaign fund

Flickr User Sean MacEntee
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A state lawmaker faces questions for failing to explain why his campaign committee paid 114 thousand dollars he put on his personal credit card.

Elections officials say state Senator Jim Marleau failed to provide details on more than half of the payments. The Detroit Free Press reports that credit card statements show department store purchases, and travel expenses as he was also claiming the state reimbursement.

Fred Woodhams is with the Michigan Bureau of Elections. He says the bureau is trying to get Marleau to make his reports current and complete.

“They also need to itemize all their expenditures – what they’re spending the money on, and there are rules on what committees can spend money on. So the disclosure ensures the committees are complying with all relevant state laws.” hey need to get in touch with us and provide some more information.”

He says the bureau has questions about omissions in Marleau’s campaign fund reports. 

“Some of them have been satisfied. They did provide the information as required. In some, we’re still waiting for some more information.”

It is illegal to use campaign funds for strictly personal expenses. Marleau is a second-term Republican from Oakland County.