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Northern Michigan lawmaker charged with corruption calls it ‘crap,’ won’t quit

Posted at 10:54 AM, May 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-16 10:54:38-04

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan lawmaker charged with soliciting a bribe for votes says he’s shocked by the indictment and calls it “crap.”

Rep. Larry Inman appeared Thursday on “Michigan’s Big Show,” a Lansing-based radio show, two days after federal prosecutors filed an indictment against the Republican. He says he won’t resign.

The government says text messages show Inman urging a labor union to round up campaign contributions last summer to ensure some lawmakers would vote a certain way on a controversial wage proposal. The messages show Inman saying $5,000 won’t be enough.

But Inman says, “Text messages can be misinterpreted.”

The government says the union didn’t respond to Inman’s pitch. The Traverse City-area lawmaker ultimately voted to repeal a wage law against the union’s interests.

Inman says, “Do you think that I would take a bribe? Come on. This is crap.”