State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Aric Nesbitt is calling for a state audit of Michigan’s Child Development and Care Program amid allegations of fraud in Minnesota.

Nesbitt this week sent a letter to the Michigan Auditor General asking for an official investigation of the childcare program operated by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, or MiLEAP. He tells us the program is intended to assist low-income families with the cost of childcare and is receiving more $540 million in taxpayer support this year. He wants to make sure everything’s on the up and up.

“I’m continuing to hear from folks that either worked in the child care industry or had owned child care centers and constituents and folks around the state, and they’ve actually reached out to me in the last 24 hours since we’ve sent the letter,” Nesbitt said. “I’ve heard from folks saying, ‘Investigate this, look at these kind of payments, especially during COVID and during the pandemic that we saw,’ that there was money going out the door without any accountability.”

Nesbitt says given the alleged situation in Minnesota, it would be wise for Michigan to take a look at its own finances.

“This is something where it’s important when we see other states unfolding waste, fraud, and abuse that we make sure it’s not happening here.”

Nesbitt says billions of dollars have been wasted during the administration of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, pointing to fraud within the Unemployment Insurance Agency during the pandemic. He says the independent auditor general should look into MiLEAP.

Nesbitt tells us it’s better to do it now than to wait until all the money is gone.