Congresswoman’s Campaign Rocked by $20M Scandal

When a sitting Congresswoman’s campaign is found to be bankrolled by a donor now under criminal investigation for embezzling millions in taxpayer cash, you have to wonder: how deep does the well of corruption go in Michigan’s Democratic machine?

At a Glance

• Rep. Haley Stevens accepted nearly $5,000 from Fay Beydoun, a Democratic donor now under criminal investigation for embezzling a $20 million state grant.
• Beydoun’s nonprofit, Global Link International, received the grant in 2022, and she held a powerful state economic post until a scandal forced her resignation.
• Stevens has yet to answer calls to return the tainted money or explain her relationship with Beydoun, fueling outrage among Michigan voters.
• The controversy is shaking up the 2026 Michigan Senate race and reigniting debate about campaign finance, donor vetting, and government oversight.

Dem Donor’s $20 Million Grant Scandal Rocks Michigan Politics

Rep. Haley Stevens, now running for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, finds herself at the center of a growing storm. Since 2019, Stevens pocketed close to $5,000 in campaign donations from Fay Beydoun, a name that, until recently, commanded respect in Democratic circles. That changed in 2024, when Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel opened a criminal investigation into Beydoun over alleged embezzlement of a $20 million grant meant for her nonprofit, Global Link International. The grant, approved by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the state legislature in 2022, was pitched as a boon for Detroit’s economic development. Instead, media reports began surfacing about lavish spending and questionable financial practices. Beydoun, once a board member of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), resigned in disgrace, but the questions for Stevens are only getting louder.

Dem Under Fire for Taking Thousands From Donor Under Criminal Investigation for Embezzlement https://t.co/c22Jfe73JE

— Deenie (@deenie7940) July 27, 2025

Even as the investigation drags on, Stevens remains silent about her ties to Beydoun, infuriating Michiganders who expect answers—not evasions—from their leaders. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) wasted no time blasting Stevens’ “far too close” relationship with Beydoun, calling it “disgraceful” that she refuses to come clean about the donations. With the 2026 Senate race heating up, the issue isn’t going away. Opponents, including State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, are already using the scandal to push for reforms to the MEDC and tighter controls on how taxpayer funds are doled out. For a Democrat running in a swing state, the optics couldn’t be worse.

Criminal Investigation Exposes Web of Political Influence

Beydoun’s influence in Michigan politics was no accident. Appointed to the powerful MEDC board by Whitmer in 2019, she had a hand in overseeing the very grants her nonprofit would later receive. That $20 million windfall in 2022 raised eyebrows at the time, but the full extent of the mismanagement only became public after whistleblowers detailed excessive salaries, luxury purchases, and a lack of oversight. Beydoun’s resignation in April 2024 did little to stem the tide—if anything, it signaled that Michigan’s grant-making process was ripe for abuse by insiders with political connections.

Meanwhile, FEC records show a clear timeline of Beydoun’s financial support for Stevens: $250 in 2019, $1,500 in 2022, $2,000 in 2023, and another $1,000 in early 2024, just months before the scandal exploded. Stevens isn’t just another recipient of Beydoun’s largesse—she’s the only current Senate candidate with direct financial ties to someone now under criminal investigation. That’s a fact the NRSC and conservative watchdogs won’t let voters forget anytime soon.

Calls for Accountability, But No Answers from Stevens

Despite mounting pressure, Stevens and her campaign have offered no public comment on whether she’ll return Beydoun’s donations or explain her knowledge, if any, of the suspect grant. The silence echoes loudly across Michigan, where confidence in the state’s political leadership is already battered by inflation, government overreach, and a long string of bureaucratic boondoggles. For many, this is the latest example of a party more interested in protecting its own than in protecting taxpayers or upholding basic ethics. The saga also underscores a systemic issue: how easily taxpayer dollars can be siphoned off by politically connected nonprofits with little accountability.

With the Attorney General’s investigation ongoing and no formal charges announced as of late July 2025, the story remains unresolved. Yet the impact is immediate: Stevens’ campaign faces mounting scrutiny, and the Michigan Democratic Party’s image is further tarnished. Meanwhile, conservatives and reform-minded Democrats alike are calling for strict new rules on who can receive taxpayer-funded grants and how politicians vet their donors. The outcome of this controversy may shape not just the Senate race, but the future of campaign finance and government oversight in Michigan and beyond.