On Wednesday, Kent County prosecutors charged former Michigan Democratic Party treasurer and Belmont attorney Traci Michele Kornak with two counts of embezzlement and one count of false pretenses related to her conduct as conservator for an elderly woman. The charges follow a months-long investigation into the suspected financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and come one day after the Michigan House Oversight Committee raised ethical concerns about the earlier handling of the matter.

“Kent County’s charges confirm what we have warned about. When red flags are ignored, vulnerable people suffer,” said Rep. Gina Johnsen (R-Portland), who serves on the House DOGE Task Force. “This case underscores the need for strong oversight and real accountability in government and public office.”

Kornak, who also served on Attorney General Dana Nessel’s 2018 transition team, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

At recent Oversight Committee hearings, leadership highlighted subpoenaed records they say show more than $419,000 in questionable transactions connected to Kornak and questioned whether ethical safeguards were upheld while a prior investigation was underway. These records also revealed the investigation remained open while Kornak was being considered for a potential court appointment, raising serious questions about whether ethical firewalls were properly maintained.

“Protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is not a partisan issue,” Johnsen added. “Today’s charges are a reminder that safeguards must work and oversight must be relentless. We must continue to examine how investigations are handled, ensure ethical firewalls function as intended, and make clear that no one is above scrutiny.”

Rep. Johnsen stressed that while prosecutors act independently, the Oversight Committee’s work has been vital in bringing transparency to a case that raised serious concerns about accountability, reinforcing the Legislature’s obligation to scrutinize how sensitive investigations are managed.