Charlie LeDuff, a political commentator and host of the No BS Newshour, said that Traci Kornak, former treasurer of the Michigan Democratic Party, is facing felony charges for embezzling from a vulnerable adult, and accused Attorney General Dana Nessel of enabling the fraud.
“Traci Kornak, the former treasurer of the Michigan Democrat Party, member of Dana Nessel’s Attorney General transition team, and a wine buddy to Democrats like Governor Gretchen Whitmer, has been charged with multiple felonies for abusing and stealing from a brain-damaged elderly woman, the late Rose Burd,” said LeDuff. “Kornak was charged with two counts of embezzlement of a vulnerable adult and one count of false pretenses. AG Nessel, had every opportunity to stop Kornak. Instead, she aided and abetted the bilking and abuse of the old woman. Nessel, quite likely, will face impeachment charges.”
According to LeDuff’s post on X, shared on January 28, 2026, the charges against Kornak were announced, implicating Nessel in enabling the fraud. The update included a video from a No BS Newshour episode featuring an interview with House Oversight Committee Chairman Jay DeBoyer. Responses to the post expressed appreciation for exposing the case and called for accountability.
In Michigan, Kornak faces two counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult and one count of false pretenses for allegedly stealing up to $140,000 from Rosalene Burd, a brain-damaged elderly woman under her conservatorship. The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office filed these charges amid Republican-led House Oversight Committee hearings that revealed over $419,000 in questionable transactions, including expenditures after Burd’s death. State officials have faced scrutiny for delayed action that allowed the fraud to persist.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office conducted a 2022 investigation into Kornak’s alleged insurance fraud and embezzlement but closed it quickly without charges. This decision was made despite evidence of ethical concerns and potential conflicts due to personal ties between Nessel and Kornak. Records indicate questionable communications bypassed isolation protocols. This leniency has drawn criticism from Republicans for failing to protect vulnerable adults from exploitation.
Republican lawmakers in Michigan have called for FBI involvement and comprehensive audits following Kornak’s charges, emphasizing the need to address corruption in conservatorship cases. House Oversight Committee probes highlighted superficial handling by Democratic officials, contrasting with GOP initiatives for new legislation aimed at safeguarding the elderly. These efforts seek to ensure accountability where previous investigations fell short, preventing similar exploitations nationwide.
LeDuff previously worked as a reporter for The New York Times and The Detroit News before hosting No BS Newshour, focusing on investigative journalism. He has authored books on urban decay and received Pulitzer Prize recognition for his contributions to team reporting.
