Embattled Republican state Representative Larry Inman appeared for state House session Wednesday.
This was the day after a jury returned a verdict in a federal criminal case against Inman. The jury found him not guilty of lying to law enforcement, but could not come to a decision on charges of bribery and extortion. As a result, he still remains under federal indictment for those two charges.
After Inman was indicted for allegedly trying to sell his vote, his office and staff were taken away. Inman points out he hasn’t been found guilty of any charges.
“That is my foundation for coming back and showing that I am a man of integrity and honesty and I’m here to do the best job I can,” Inman told reporters Wednesday.
Inman told reporters that he hopes to get his office and staff back.
“Hopefully that will go favorably for me,” Inman said. “But that’s up to the Speaker. That is his call and decision.”
Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield’s spokesman, Gideon D’Assandro said later that Chatfield and Inman had met, but nothing will change.
D’Assandro said that Inman sent, “Are unbecoming of a state Representative and the trust that the people of Michigan put in them.”
Leader of the House Democrats, Representative Christine Greig, said in a statement that Inman had “shaken the public’s trust.”
“I continue to believe it is in the best interest of the House and the citizens of the 104th District that Representative Inman resign from his duties as a legislator,” she said. “I will continue to monitor the situation closely as the U.S. Attorney’s office moves forward with its request for a retrial.”