ICYMI: New Details Emerge in Whitmer’s $20 Million MEDC Scandal

Lansing, MI - New reporting in the Fay Beydoun and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) scandal has revealed that internal warnings about Beydoun’s conduct were ignored, and that Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Chief of Staff made a personal apology to the Arab American Chamber of Commerce, the group that originally expected the funding. These new revelations come as questions continue to mount about Governor Whitmer’s leadership and oversight on her watch.

A whistleblower affidavit recently made public reveals that concerns about Beydoun’s spending were raised directly with MEDC CEO Quentin Messer. Beydoun notoriously used the $20 million in grant funds on extravagant purchases, including a $4,500 coffee maker and a $15,000 first-class flight. However, rather than reviewing Beydoun’s conduct, Messer dismissed these warnings, calling Beydoun a “personal friend.” 

According to the Attorney General’s office, less than 2 percent of Beydoun’s spending during that time “could possibly be attributed" to the grant’s purpose.

While Quentin Messer was ignoring Beydoun’s conduct, Gretchen Whitmer’s Chief of Staff, JoAnn Huls, was apologizing to the Arab American Chamber of Commerce for Beydoun getting the money in the first place. In 2023, Huls personally drove to Dearborn to meet with the Chamber, as they originally believed that the $20 million grant was intended for their business accelerator program.

This secret apology and the ignored warning of an MEDC whistleblower are more evidence that this grant to Beydoun was not merit-based. Rather, it appears to have been driven by political connections, personal relationships, and the expectation that no one would notice. Whitmer’s administration continues to face questions about whether the MEDC was just used as a conduit for her favoritism. 

“This scandal is a symptom of the systemic failure of Governor Whitmer’s leadership,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for the Michigan Forward Network. “Gretchen Whitmer and Quentin Messer failed on every front, and they are complicit in this $20 million misuse of taxpayer dollars.”