State Rep. Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) today issued a public statement calling on Gov. Whitmer to promptly replace Fay Beydoun as an executive committee member of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation after the Detroit News reported concerning expenditures she made using a taxpayer-funded grant she was awarded to launch a business accelerator organization. Beydoun’s MEDC appointment ended Friday, but it is unclear whether she is still serving and whether she will be reappointed:

“The irresponsible spending of Michigan taxpayer dollars that was uncovered by the Detroit News is deeply concerning to me. While working families throughout Michigan are scraping to get by amid rising inflation, Beydoun is using this taxpayer-funded grant to award herself a handsome salary, purchase herself an $11,000 first-class airplane ticket, and buy her organization a $4,500 coffee maker, $40,000 worth of furniture, and more.

“What’s worse is that she has been a sitting executive committee member of the MEDC – the very group responsible for providing oversight over her spending of grant dollars. While I’m encouraged to learn her appointment ended on Friday, the people of Michigan need to be reassured that she is not serving on the committee past the expiration of her appointment, and that the governor does not intend to reappoint her.

“It’s paramount that she be replaced with someone who the public can trust. The governor’s administration must do the work to properly vet the individuals who are appointed to the executive committee. After the grotesque amount of money that was spent on pet projects and corporate handouts in Michigan’s last state budget signed by the governor, Michigan’s citizens are growing more and more skeptical of the way their tax dollars are being spent.”

“Michiganders need more information about the expenditures Beydoun has made thus far with the $20 million grant she was awarded. The MEDC has stated it will not be reviewing her expenditures until the first $10 million is spent, but the state of Michigan cannot afford to wait until those dollars are potentially flushed down the toilet. Transparency and oversight are the cornerstone of our system of government, and the people need to see more of that from this particular spending measure being carried out by Beydoun.”

###