State Rep. Jay DeBoyer has sent a letter to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) demanding action after a report highlighting inappropriate uses of grant dollars.

The Detroit News report outlined lavish spending from MEDC executive committee member and Gov. Whitmer-appointee Fay Beydoun involving an ongoing $20 million “business accelerator” grant project she has been overseeing. The report included one payment by Beydoun of $4,500 for a coffee maker and another of $11,000 for a flight to Europe. In addition, Beydoun paid herself and another employee a total of over $400,000 in taxpayer-funded salaries over a period of three months.

DeBoyer is calling on MEDC Chief Executive Quentin L. Messer Jr. to halt and immediately examine the grant project. He also said state attorney general Dana Nessel should look into the expenditures.

“Accountability and transparency in state government and its departments are pivotal in maintaining the public’s trust,” DeBoyer, of Clay Township, writes in the letter to Messer Jr. “When people see questionable practices or outright failures in these areas on our end, they fail to respect our institutions and their elected leaders in greater numbers.”

Multiple former associates of Beydoun called for increased oversight of the funds in question in the report. DeBoyer took issue with a condition of the grant stating that expenses won’t be reviewed or audited until the first $10 million – half the total amount – is spent.

“Taxpayers across our state who helped foot the bill for this apparent boondoggle shouldn’t have to wait until $10 million is gone for this to be reviewed. That accountability should be delivered now,” DeBoyer said. “If it isn’t, frivolous spending will remain unchecked, corruption could go unchallenged and damage to our state’s less-than-sterling reputation for government integrity will only get worse.

“It’s important for the state to get a handle on this.”